Hubert de Givenchy

Biography

Hubert de Givenchy was twenty-five when he opened his house in February 1952 at 3 avenue George V. Within eighteen months he had met Audrey Hepburn (in summer 1953, while she was preparing 'Sabrina'); the working friendship lasted forty years, until her death in January 1993. Hepburn wore Givenchy in every film she made from 'Sabrina' (1954) onward, with the exception of 'Roman Holiday' (1953) and 'War and Peace' (1956). The cultural effect was that Givenchy's aesthetic — clean, slim, simplified, focused on cut rather than ornament — became the visual language of mid-century elegance for an entire generation of women. The house also dressed Jacqueline Kennedy (the 1962 visit-to-Paris wardrobe was largely Givenchy), Grace Kelly, the Duchess of Windsor. Givenchy retired in 1995, replaced briefly by John Galliano (1995–1996), then by Alexander McQueen (1996–2001), then by Julien Macdonald (2001–2004), then by Riccardo Tisci (2005–2017), then by Clare Waight Keller (2017–2020), then by Matthew Williams (2020–present). The post-founder house is functionally a different brand and should be priced accordingly.

Signature pieces

• Bateau-neckline 'Sabrina dress' (1954) — the black silk satin dress Hepburn wore
• 'Bettina blouse' (1952) — Hepburn's friend Bettina Graziani inspired this puff-sleeved white piece
• Pink-feathered cocktail dress (1957, for 'Funny Face')
• Black tuxedo (1958) — Hepburn for 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' (1961)

Silhouette

• Slim sheath dresses with restrained necklines
• High waist on evening pieces
• Minimal ornamentation — cut is the design

Fabric repertoire

Heavy silk satin and crepe · Wool gabardine for tailored pieces · Heavy black silk (the famous 'Givenchy black')

Label history

Often the fastest way to date a piece.

Current market ranges

Ranges reflect 2024–2026 transaction data. Condition, provenance, and original labels remain dominant variables.

Authentication notes

• Founder-era Givenchy uses petersham ribbon waistband internally; the model number is written in ink on this petersham.
• Hand-set sleeves with cleaner armhole curves than competitors.
• Lining is silk through the 1970s, polyester from late 1970s onward.

Known forgery patterns

• The famous 'little black dress' is widely reproduced; original 1961 dresses (worn in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's') were three made for Hepburn, all of which are documented and in private/museum collections.

Museum holdings

• · Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode, Calais (the Givenchy archive)
• · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute, New York
• · Palais Galliera, Paris
• · Kerry Taylor Auctions archive (multiple Hepburn-Givenchy lot records)

Primary sources

Public collections and archives we cross-reference for Hubert de Givenchy attribution. Search by maker name or browse the costume collection.

• [1]The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Hubert de Givenchy collection search
• [2]Victoria and Albert Museum — Hubert de Givenchy maker records
• [3]Palais Galliera (Paris Musées) — Hubert de Givenchy holdings
• [4]Kerry Taylor Auctions archive — Hubert de Givenchy lot history
• [5]Invaluable cross-auction archive — Hubert de Givenchy comparable sales

Adjacent designers