Givenchy Fall 09/10 Campaign

It seems like I’m forever explaining that fashion is not shallow, and it’s a valid interest and pastime. That shopping is not fashion. That fashion is a complex industry with many players, subtle hierarchy and an almost frightening pace. That fashion is a form of art more relevant than Van Gogh or Wordsworth. When fashion is done well, a skirt is never a skirt, a shoe is never a shoe. And a campaign is never just a pretty picture…

When I first spied the Givenchy Fall 09-10 campaign images, I immediately liked them. I’m a big Givenchy fan, and though the clothes and as yet unnamed bag are gorgeous, it was the attitude which appealed to me. But as I read up about the campaign, I realised that there was more to the campaign than the fierce attitude, this was a statement from Riccardo Tisci. There are several notable changes from previous campaigns, Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin have been replaced by Mert and Marcus after a 9 year partnership.

Mariacarla Boscono is of course featured in the campaign, but she is accompanied by Leonor Scherrer (daughter of a retired courtier) and models Iris Strubegger, Ranya Mordanova and of course Adriana Lima who surprisingly walked during the show. For me, Adriana has pulled off the transition from Victoria’s Secret to high fashion pretty much impeccably. The impossibly chic campaign seems to reinforce Givenchy’s French roots, with Tisci describing Leonor as “she represents France in all senses: the elegance, the aristocracy, the darkness of France”.

* Source TFS