Back from the Future
Givenchy’s Clare Waight Keller births new classics from grungy New York and exuberant Paris in the ’90s
In 1993, English designer Clare Waight Keller moved to New York City and took over Calvin Klein, the American label that defined the decade. Minimalism was all the rage; slinky slip-dresses worn by Kate Moss were everywhere and women strutted around in denim overalls and streamlined black tailoring with chunky birkenstocks. This served as a stark contrast to the sophisticated Paris—a fashion capital that was then slowly recovering from the excesses of the ’80s—that Waight Keller frequented.
Now the artistic director of French luxury fashion house Givenchy, Waight Keller takes a look back and revisits her past after sparking inspiration from Allison Yarrow’s book ’90s Bitch: Media, Culture and the Failed Promise of Gender Equality. She refers to the decade’s key trends as a time of “liberated femininity,” debuting a romantically nostalgic spring 2020 collection with billowing caftans, paisley and floral prints, and laser-cut detailing. She also interspersed a tougher spin on some of the ’90s classics with her signature tailored separates and travel-centric accessories.
Waight Keller’s designs have always exuded a certain sense of discipline and rigour; fractal symmetry and sculpted bold lines are not lost in her latest collection. Slight revisions such as elongated tailored jackets complement another ’90s comeback trend: the Bermuda shorts. Denim is heavily used, especially in the women’s collection, harking to the vintage upcycled fabrics in a strong statement behind the brand’s move towards a more “conscious future.” One of the key pieces from this collection is a V-neck dress which has garnered a lot of social media attention. It is made from two different denimcoloured washes. Likewise striking are shoes with sculptural details, radial-columned block heels, and square-toed mules. Another key piece, perhaps most important in this line-up, is the brand’s latest “it” bag called “ID93”—coined from the collection’s “NY 1993” theme. The house of Givenchy’s latest handbag line is made to punctuate the easy attitude and oversized volumes of Waight Keller’s silhouettes.
Drawing key points and references from her own routines, Waight Keller had the modernday woman’s daily essentials in mind when she created the ID93 bag, which comes in three sizes for different occasions.
We see a continuance of the ’90s design elements in Givenchy’s menswear. Waight Keller launched
her first-ever, standalone menswear collection for the brand with great success. It was strong, current, and impactful. With a sharp focus on innovation and a flair for impeccable tailoring, she enters into a time of laid-back luxury where athleisure has been running for years. It’s a strong wave to go against, but Waight Keller successfully made headlines for Givenchy in doing so.
“I was in New York the entirety of the ’90s: the best time. So that’s why I wanted to bring back what I love, which is the tailoring. I dipped back—to a three-button suit, which felt modern again,” she says.
Her design aesthetic of minimalist suiting is evident as it rests on the core of this collection—a variety of neat jackets which spans from wide to loose shoulders, draped coats and tonic jackets. Tailored suits are balanced with sportswear.
Other interesting details are the eye-catching fabrics Waight Keller discovered and sourced from Korea. The movement of a superlight pale yellow parka over a beige suit, the slick teal nylon raincoat, and the strange, dense velvet nylons kept this line intriguing. In the same fashion, an array of membrane-fine parkas over suits leaves an impression that this will be one of the key trends this year.
She went into the fashion unknown by delving deep into Korean pop culture’s global influnece of hyper-modern dandyism. Her curiosity for Asian fashion and culture fuelled her research. She found that young men in Seoul tend to be meticulous about their looks in an almost dolled-up, feminine way. This was said to remind the artistic director of a time everyone tried their hardest to pull off head-to-toe trends of the ’80s and the ’90s.
Having learnt and witnessed Asian fashion and culture first-hand, she interjects the Korean music subculture in this collection, which made it all the more interesting.
There was no shortage of surprises as men’s fashion continues to explode into the scene. Designers and fashion houses have long been on the plight to break down barriers and glass ceilings in gender dressing—not a first in fashion—however there are strong indications that this time around, we might just be in the threshold of a permanent shift.
Waight Keller’s designs have always exuded a certain sense of discipline and rigour