The fashion world has lost a true legend today, as iconic French fashion designer, Hubert de Givenchy, has died at age 91. Givenchy gained significant notoriety in the fashion world when he created Audrey Hepburn‘s famed “little black dress,” or, “LBD,” and created several other looks for actresses like Grace Kelly and and Jackie Kennedy.
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Givenchy’s partner, Philippe Venet, broke the news to AFP news agency, stating, “It is with huge sadness that we inform you that Hubert Taffin de Givenchy has died.”
After World War Two, Givenchy worked with some other incredible designers, including Christian Dior and Pierre Balmain. He also worked with designer Elsa Schiaparelli and left in 1952 to start his own design house, where he started to create mix and match “separates”—a new concept at the time.
During his 40 year friendship with Audrey Hepburn—who be came his muse—she spoke very highly of the designer, who made her also iconic suits and wool dresses for her various film roles, including in Funny Face in 1957 and How To Steal A Million in 1966. “It was…an enormous help to know that I looked the part,” began Hepburn, some time ago. “Then the rest wasn’t so tough anymore. Givenchy’s lovely simple clothes [gave me] the feeling of being whoever I played…”
Today, high-end fashion enthusiasts are still huge fans of the brand. Celebrity fans include Black Panther‘s Chadwick Boseman, who recently wore a custom haute couture Givenchy suit to the 90th annual Academy Awards, Wonder Woman‘s Gal Gadot, who also wore Givenchy haute couture to the awards show, as well as Shawn Mendes, Rooney Mara, Nicole Kidman, Jessica Chastain, Ansel Elgort, Jake Gyllenhaal, Margot Robbie, Dave Franco and Diane Kruger.
Additional images courtesy of Givenchy’s Instagram.
