James de Givenchy
JEWELLERY DESIGNER
BACKGROUND
The nephew of renowned fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy, French-born James de Givenchy grew up in the fashion world. He became enamoured with gems when he joined Christie’s jewellery department, after studying graphic design at New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology. He then became head of Christie’s jewellery arm for the US west coast and later served as vice-president of jewellery brand Verdura.
DESIGN SIGNATURE
De Givenchy opened his New York salon in 1996, initially working with private clients on bespoke pieces. He is known as a connoisseur of gems, with sculptural, whimsical works heralded for their colour and composition. De Givenchy likens his work to architecture, and feels his role as a designer is to find pieces that fit together to solve a puzzle.
ARTISTIC INFLUENCES
Playing with ceramic to showcase fine metals and precious gems, De Givenchy’s work has been compared to famous designers such as Suzanne Belperron and Raymond Templier. All of De Givenchy’s jewellery is produced in the US. He embosses each piece with the French-gifted Statue of Liberty as a nod to the bridge between his French heritage and his US home.