Why Givenchy Is So Expensive: French Luxury Fashion House

Frequently targeted by counterfeiters, Givenchy is a French fashion brand with a rich heritage.

Whether it’s Audrey Hepburn’s little black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s or the iconic Antigona bag, Givenchy has triggered the imagination of generations of fashion followers.

Hubert de Givenchy launched the fashion house in 1952 with a collection that focused on ‘separates’ – blouses and skirts with simplistic silhouettes – that were an instant success.

Hubert de Givenchy attends Vanity Fair cocktail party at Museum Thyssen on October 20, 2014, in Madrid, Spain (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez / WENN)

Givenchy is lauded as the man behind the idea of Haute Couture, developing an aesthetic of minimalistic lines and slender silhouettes.

In 1955, he designed the iconic shirtdress, opening the floodgates to new and exciting designs. Hubert de Givenchy died in his sleep at the Renaissance chateau near Paris on March 10, 2018.

Audrey Hepburn served as the muse for Givenchy, wearing the brand’s clothing at almost every opportunity.

The brand’s menswear range launched in 1969 before the fashion house became part of the LVMH group in 1988, cementing its position as a luxury label.

Hubert de Givenchy retired from the role of Creative Director in 1995 and succeeded by a series of designers who have become a legend in their own right.

Iconic black dress designed by Hubert de Givenchy and worn by Audrey Hepburn in the opening of the 1961 romantic comedy film Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Everyone from John Galliano to Alexander McQueen has taken the lead as Givenchy’s Creative Director.

Clare Waight Keller, in the role, designed Meghan Markle’s dress for her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018, bringing Givenchy alive as a fairy-tale brand for a new generation.

Matthew M. Williams has been serving as the brand’s Creative Director since June 2020, blending Givenchy’s timeless silhouettes with a modern vision that accounts for the changing cultural reality of the current age.

Celebrities Wearing Givenchy Bags and Shoes