One of the highlights of the second day of Paris Fashion Week, if not the most anticipated: the first outing of Matthew Williams, as creative director of the house Givenchy, since his appointment in June 2020.
A pristine pool, in the middle of which stands a white cube from which white smoke escaped, installed in the courtyard of the École Militaire, serves as a runway on which models advanced, often shirtless and wearing waterproof shoes, as if they were literally walking on water.
Appropriating the codes established by Riccardo Tisci, former artistic director of the house between 2005 and 2017, Matthew Williams once again brought his streetwear touch. With various people in his entourage as muses, musicians, friends including Alkaline, the Jamaican-born dancehall singer who stands out for his radical appearance and inky contact lenses, Matthew Williams injected the collection with long, loose silhouettes inspired by different styles, whether it be California streetwear or preppy.
“This show is a reflection of myself and the men who surround me, from my close friends to the artists who inspired my work. It’s a dialogue with the time and culture that shape the way men dress today and tomorrow: the way new generations embrace and evolve the archetypes and dress codes of the past through their own progressive outlook”, he said.
Like other luxury houses, such as Prada, Balenciaga or Balmain, logomania is hitting the Givenchy house particularly hard this season. Givenchy written in black or white was almost everywhere, on headbands worn around the neck, in the necklines of a pair of leather jackets, on t-shirts, caps, sweatpants, balaclavas as well as on sunglasses stamped with the signature letter G.
The other highlight of the collection was the footwear. The brand launched on this occasion its latest sneaker, the TK-MX runner. Constructed with a mesh and synthetic leather upper, the silhouette came in a range of colorways from subtle black or white to bold silver and yellow, silver and green and black and yellow patterns. The TK-360 silhouette has also been updated with the new TK-360-MID, featuring a taller construction and available in monochromatic colorways.
©Givenchy
