This morning, Givenchy announced the passing of its founder, Hubert de Givenchy, on its Instagram. He was 91 years old. The idea of a "fashion icon" is tossed around pretty lightly these days, and even we are guilty of applying it to everyone from bloggers to regular faces in the street-style scene, but to step back for a moment and really observe the term, Givenchy's extensive career solidifies him as one of the most deserving of the phrase.
Not only was he an icon himself, founding his namesake label in 1952, according to WWD, but he also had a large hand in fostering the styles of some of the women we look up to most in the world of fashion. Well-known for dressing mid-century idols like Audrey Hepburn — who can forget her iconic Breakfast at Tiffany's dress and the entire Funny Face wardrobe — to Jackie Kennedy with a lineup of custom ensembles, Givenchy was responsible for creating famous looks for some of fashion and Hollywood's most prominent figures before retiring in 1995. The array of current celebrities who choose his fashion house for red-carpet events (remember Kim Kardashian West's floral gown and Beyoncé's nude latex gown, both worn at recent Met Galas?) prove just how deep his visionary legacy runs. He may be gone, but much of his work is forever etched into our minds.
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In a time when it feels like we're losing fashion's major figureheads one by one (Azzedine Alaïa just passed at the end of last year), we can't help but look toward the industry's younger talents, from Raf Simons to Simon Porte of Jacquemus — and, of course, Clare Waight Keller, Givenchy's current and first female artistic director — to carry fashion forward. But for now, we'll be scrolling through our Instagram and looking back on the iconic legacy Givenchy is leaving behind.
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