ALEXANDER MCQUEEN and GIVENCHY 1999

In october 1996, LVMH, Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy SA, appointed Alexander McQueen Artistic Director of Haute Couture and Prêt-à-Porter for Givenchy. The same month, Alexander received the « British Designer of the Year » Award from the British Fashion Council.

Alexander McQueen is one of several « young designers » recently engaged by Bernard Arnault, the President of LVMH, along with John Galliano for Christian Dior, Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors for Celine and Narciso Rodriguez for Loewe.

The McQueen family descends from a French tradition of weavers and drapers dating from late 18th century. When the Huguenots left France to seek refuge in London, the McQueen family participated in the rebirth of the textile industry in England.

Alexander McQueen started his professional experience at the age of sixteen on Savile Row at the heart of the traditional British garment industry where he acquired a unique experience addressing a clientele seeking customized perfection. Starting at Anderson and Shepherd and continuing at Gieves and Hawkes, Alexander worked on made-to-measure jackets and suits for members of the high society including the Prince of Wales and Lord Rotschild. After mastering tailoring techniques, Alexander was employed by the theatre costumers Bermans and Nathans where he learned six methods of pattern cutting dating from the 16th century.

At twenty years of age, Alexander continued his experience under the Japanese designer Koji Tatsuno, and later at Romeo Gigli in Milan. His historical knowledge and unique experience in tailoring allows Alexander McQueen to combine contemporary design with the traditions of the Parisian Haute Couture ateliers at Givenchy.

GIVENCHYhistory

1952______February 2nd saw the launch of the House of Givenchy and presentation of its first Haute Couture collection at 8, rue Alfred de Vigny, in Paris.
1953______In April, Givenchy Boutiques were opened in Rome, Zurich and Buenos Aires.
1956______Launch of the first Ready-to-Wear collection ever designed by a Couturier : "Givenchy University ".
1957______Creation of the company Parfums Givenchy, on April 30th. Creation of the first Givenchy perfume for women " De ".
Launch of « L'Interdit » perfume dedicated to Audrey Hepburn.
1959______The House of Givenchy moves to its current address at 3, Avenue George V, in Paris. The Givenchy fragrance " L'Eau de Vetyver " is launched, with the first Givenchy fragrance for men, « Monsieur de Givenchy ».
The Givenchy Boutique at 3, Avenue George V, opens.
1968______ Another Givenchy's Ready-to-Wear line, « Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique », is launched.
1970______" Givenchy III ", a perfume for women, is launched.
1973______The first Givenchy menswear collection « Gentleman Givenchy » is launched.
1975______The eau de toilette for men « Givenchy Gentleman » is launched.
1980______« Eau de Givenchy », eau de toilette for women, is launched.
1981______Parfums Givenchy joins Veuve Clicquot Champagnes to become a part of the Louis Vuitton group, in 1986.
1982______The Fashion Institute of Technology hosts a grand retrospective, celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the House of Givenchy, in New York, then in Washington and Japan.
1984______Two Givenchy sportswear lines, " Givenchy Knitwear " and " Givenchy Life " are launched. " Ysatis ", a perfume for women, is launched.
1985______The « Givenchy Life » sportswear line is launched in Japan.
1986______Louis Vuitton becomes LVMH, Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Xeryus, an eau de toilette for men, is launched.
1988______The House of Givenchy is sold to LVMH.
1989______" Givenchy Beauté ", a cosmetic line, and " Swisscare for Givenchy ", a skin care line, are launched.
1990______On September 11th, the Givenchy Gentleman boutique opens at 56, rue Franois 1er in Paris.
1991______On February 20th, a Givenchy boutique opens at 28, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, in Paris.
A new perfume for women, " Amarige ", is launched. The Musee de la Mode et du Costume holds a vast retrospective, in Paris, for the 40th anniversary of the House of Givenchy.
1992______The Ready-to-Wear line, " Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique " becomes " Couture Givenchy ". " Boutique Givenchy ", a secondary Ready-to-Wear line, is launched. The " Centre de Beaute Givenchy " opens at the Trianon Palace at Versailles. On February 17th, a Givenchy boutique opens at 8, avenue George V, in Paris.
1993______In the Gardens of the Chateau d'Eyrignac, a new fragrance for men, " L'insensé ", is launched. Gentleman Givenchy becomes a division of Givenchy s.a. In november and december, the retrospective " Givenchy : 40 Years of Creation ", is held at the Kobe fashion Market, in Japan. The Accessories, Housewares and Tablewares Division is created in December.
1994______On March 15th, the Gentleman Givenchy boutique opens at Trois Quartiers, Place de la Madeleine, in Paris. A new fragrance for younger women, " Fleur d'Interdit " is launched.
1995______A fourth Givenchy boutique opens on the left bank at 5 rue du Cherche Midi, in Paris. Givenchy s.a. announces Monsieur de Givenchy's retirement at the end of the year. John Galliano, three times awarded British Designer of the Year, is appointed to design the Givenchy Haute Couture and Couture lines. A second " Centre de Beaute Givenchy " opens at Palm Springs (USA).
1996______A new fragrance for women, " Organza " is launched. On 14th October 1996, Alexander McQueen is appointed to replace John Galliano and becomes the new designer for Givenchy Haute Couture and Ready-to-wear lines. On 22 October 1996, Alexander McQueen was awarded « British Designer of The Year 1996 ».
1997______Alexander McQueen presented his first Spring/Summer 97 Haute Couture collection for Givenchy in January 1997.