Givenchy's Tricky Moment
By Godfrey Deeny
(Photo by Gruber-FWD)
PARIS, Jan 23, 2003/ FWD/ --- There was more talk of a possible replacement at Givenchy
before the presentation of Julian Macdonald's third collection for the house, an unenviable
situation for any couturier.
To his credit, the designer handled the uninvited attention with aplomb, taking the polite
applause with a nod and a smile after showing a respectable collection, which showed
definite signs of progress albeit a small rise in a shallow learning curve.
Pre-show, Givenchy president firmly denied the rumors of Macdonald's impending dismissal
and reported replacement by Hedi Slimane, Christian Dior's men's designer.
Yet there still lurked a funereal air about the proceedings during the show, staged in
an elegant Left Bank hotel.
The opening look summed up Macdonald's problem with couture.
Frankie Rayder came out in a finely cut, asymmetrical black wool dress marred by a
30-inch vertical bow.
Attached to the bust, the bow obscured Frankie's face, making a look that was pretty but
fundamentally unwearable.
Macdonald, whose reputation as the Welsh Versace never particularly endeared him to
the Paris mode, did have a Gianni-in-Vegas moment during the show when Karolina Kurkova
sauntered out in a white swimsuit made from jersey and rope, ideal for only a bankrupt
casino owner's wife.
The throbbing funky soundtrack felt all wrong in the marble-floored grandeur of the 18th
century mansion, and didn't match the style of the Givenchy collection.
Macdonald's progress was only evidenced by super pants suits, with gray snakeskin bands on
ecru organza, and a slinky dominatrix pinstripe suit on the ever-sexy Eva Herzigova.
And although the Givenchy collection left little to be noted, Orlando Pita's simple pushed-up
hair styling with leather hair band (the epitome of French style) and Macdonald's grace
under pressure deserved high marks.
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