December 16, 2020 |
Matthew Williams‘ seasonless vision for Givenchy begins to unfold as the designer releases his second collection for the house. Fall 2021 sees the new-age American fashion titan both resurface and rework the design tropes that informed his debut back in October. Chunky footwear, slender suiting and metal hardware are all part of Williams’ lexicon – now joined by cropped MA1 bombers, reflective puffas and monogrammed cardies.
In Williams’ universe, classicism and subversion run in tangent to one another. He embraces tradition and the techniques synonymous with the Givenchy salon, yet he’s set on making clothes that are attuned to the now. You could say he’s interested in the past, not driven by it.
Tailoring, knitwear and leather are each cleverly toyed with to offer a sense of realism to such luxury Givenchy pieces. Whether it be spiked biker jackets and silk, floor-length gowns – each worn with thigh-high leather boots – or genderless tuxedos, Williams designs with the every day in mind. “Ultimately, what I am trying to do in the Givenchy collections is reflect today’s world,” says the designer. And is there’s any shoe equipped to tackle 2020, it’s definitely those spikey Marshmallow Slides.
Photography by Heji Shin.
