It isn’t easy for a sweater to become one of the most sought after items of the year. Proof: right here, so how did Givenchy do it?

Bambi, a rottweiler, and the shark tooth, these are the three symbols that have made Givenchy a street- style favourite fashion brand. Riccardo Tisci has breathed fresh life into the house, started in 1952 by Hubert de Givenchy, and the fans are flocking to the stores to own a piece of the graphic revolution.

So what are the key attributes  that have kept this company relevant in an industry where youth and fresh new ideas and faces are admired?

Well it could all be based in strategic and genuine incidents:

• The luxury goods heavyweight LVMH took over ownership of the brand in 1993
• Hubert de Givenchy retired in 1995 and John Galliano became his predecessor but was immediately promoted to Christian Dior (also owned by LVMH) two years later, so the late and great Alexander McQueen was hired to design for Givenchy
• In 2005 Riccardo Tisci was hired as both the chief designer of womenswear and Artistic Director and I believe this is when the brand began to gain attention. Tisci’s dark aesthetic seemed to stand out amongst the other designers and although reviews were mixed, everyone was always talking about him

In most recent years Givenchy has been worn by a multitude of celebrities on the red carpet as well as at their weddings, Christina Ricci for one, and by musicians on tour, Madonna wore custom Givenchy costumes for her Super Bowl Halftime Show as well as on her Sticky & Sweet Tour.

The brand relaunched menswear in 2005 and it fell into Tisci’s lap in 2009. Tisci allowed Kanye West to work with him, which brought awareness to the brand through headlines and tabloids due to Kanye’s celebrity status

Aside from its history and celebrity status the brand itself remains extremely relevant in all divisions, accessories and womenswear especially, and continues to produce lust worthy items bloggers and young Hollywood crave to own the spotlight.

So is it the fact Tisci isn’t afraid to take risks? Has it come to relying on larger-than-life prints and pieces in order to remain relevant in the spotlight? Whatever Tisci is doing seems to be working and I know we all wait with baited breath to see what he’ll do next!

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