At Givenchy, Clare Waight Keller Turns Adut Akech and Kaia Gerber into Arthouse Heroines

After passing through large grids, drinking a very new wave cocktail in carefully curated glasses, pretty boys in suits summoned us to our seats. The show was about to begin. A wave of claps. Then, a black, striking silhouette. 

The collection took on an assertive expression of sensuality. Split skirts and umbrella hats from the Haute Couture collection, were made available here in a soft felt version. Ultra chic black was married with cinema-style cherry red over a coat. The silhouettes were long, with masterful volume, and the bodies moved with sensuality and mystery. 

The women imagined by Clare Waight Keller for this collection are powerful, perfect in their imperfections, just like an elusive art house heroines. The sizes are belted, the collars pulled up, the hair pulled back and gathered in a low ponytail. The cuts are languid: high-waisted pants and flared legs adorned with contrast piping, pointed lapel jackets, capes and pagoda shoulder coats are cut in fine double-sided Melton wool. Sculpted stitches and faux fur hug the body and surround it with soft drapes.

The English designer now familiar with Mr. Givenchy's codes delivers his interpretation of the mod palate in black and white. Evening wear flirted with a couture spirit: pleated cascading, silver sequin embroidery, fountain of feathers, tassels, taste buds, tube beads. As for the feet? Thin wedges and sandals laced at the ankle. The necks sparkle as they are adorned with articulated pendants. Some ears were adorned with pendants or rows of pearls. Drawing inspiration from the golden age of French cinema and the art of contemporary performance, Clare Waight Keller has designed a neo-classical wardrobe for a rebellious bourgeois.