The designer Clare Waight Keller for his collection has drawn on the book The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell, especially the myth of Icarus and his hybris

 

Creative director Clare Waight Keller for his pre-fall by Givenchy was inspired by the classic volume The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell, a book from which he drew to try to make sense of an increasingly dynamic and moving society.

In particular, the Greek myth of Icarus, the young man who wore wings of wax and feathers to fly near the sun and whose hybris brought death to him, was relevant.

The sky and the sea form the basis for the three plots of the collection, each conceived to move easily from day to evening and from the daily to the special occasion.

The designer was attracted by the symbolism of the myth and through a trio of deities, including Poseidon, god of waters, Selene, sister of the Sun god, Helios, representing the Moon and Rhiannon, the Welsh goddess famous for her wisdom and generosity , which represents the sun, has tried to give meaning to each garment.

While looking back to antiquity, Waight Keller transported his characters to a modernist palette with La Corbusier’s La Roche house as its backdrop.

Colors, prints and embroidery evoke themes on materials ranging from light cotton to silk seersucker, from crêpe de chine to georgette, from plumetis to lace, to soft wool for tailored garments.

Givenchy sporting goods play with shapes and volumes. The key pieces of the women’s spring-summer collection come back in updated versions.

The women’s wardrobe has been structured around two key silhouettes: long and thin for tailored coats with shoulders, bolero jackets with bow sleeves and monochromatic evening dresses; oversized for fake furs, cocoon coats and 80’s style leather trench coat.

The hand-made details characterize the collection, from the threaded crack on the front of a black lambskin cap to the thousands of ostrich feathers sewn onto a sleeveless tunic.

According to the designer, evening wear is already very successful on the market. “We’ve always sold eveningwear, so I thought I’d put some extravagant pieces in ready-to-wear,” he said.

Drawing inspiration from a myth of Greek tradition was a great challenge for Keller, who intends to continue this way.