Matthew M. Williams - Designer

[loveisnotlost]

Matthew M Williams' Givenchy is overtly referential to Nicholas Ghesquere's Balenciaga and Riccardo Tisci. Which is fine because he grew up during those eras. But he needs to reinterpret them without being heavy handed and tryhard. Levity, Matt, levity.

 

[yslforever]

Interesting if they really did get rid of the couture atelier. I wonder where they would end up ?

Either way, I feel this will be really tragic.

Balenciaga Haute Couture, they have hired nearly a hundred in their Atelier.

 

[Salvatore]

Balenciaga Haute Couture, they have hired nearly a hundred in their Atelier.

That’s impressive to be honest. I am curious how the haute couture houses go about finding the level of talent needed for couture.

 

[yslforever]

That’s impressive to be honest. I am curious how the haute couture houses go about finding the level of talent needed for couture.

The most senior in the Balenciaga HC Atelier started at YSL HC then went to Dior and Gaultier and Chanel. Yes, it's quite massive and they are busy, even with one public collection a year (clients have more exclusive designs coming regurlaly)

 

[Salvatore]

The most senior in the Balenciaga HC Atelier started at YSL HC then went to Dior and Gaultier and Chanel. Yes, it's quite massive and they are busy, even with one public collection a year (clients have more exclusive designs coming regurlaly)

Truly fascinating. I am really wondering the numbers of seamstresses and tailors there are in the ateliers at each of the houses. I am sure at Givenchy it’s a fair amount and it is a shame that their skills might be wasted on the vision of Matthew.

 

[Lola701]

Actually, a lot of Couture sewers do work on RTW between seasons - at least the freelance ones, do.

It’s actually why Parisian RTW fashion has better construction and savoir faire…because the same sewers that work on Couture collections will go work for Chloe, or Saint Laurent, or Stella McCartney, Isabel Marant, etc, etc, etc. between Couture seasons. Of course, they’re not sewing the production units that end up in stores, but they are making the toiles and the runway samples a lot of the time.

That and a lot of older people who worked in the now defunct Couture houses in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s or even early 00’s are now a bit everywhere. I know Chanel has two different ateliers (RTW and Couture) but in a lot of houses indeed, it’s the same people who are making the toiles and « Show » pieces and the Couture.
For people like Isabel Marant, I think she works more with modélistes than petites mains.
Italians have exquisite quality (when they want) too. No matter what can be said about Versace, their RTW has always been well constructed. And the team shows their virtuosity in Couture…

 

[donyan]

it’s weird how Givenchy has completely disappeared from anyones radar. None of my friends has talked about the collection since his debut, not even in a negative way. It just seems to not be there anymore

 

[Lola701]

A tragedy in the making…hadn’t they gotten rid of their couture atelier (which is made apparent in each show with such poorly constructed garments)

Tbh in Couture, everything is a matter of an eye. We saw Olivier Rousteing’s Couture début and how tragic it was despite his knowledge of the cut and the apparent virtuosity of his RTW collections. Someone like Lee McQueen. His first collection for Givenchy was questionable in terms of execution. Or even closer…Raf Simons had the same ressources as John Galliano and still managed to deliver the Dior HC FW 2013 collection…

Christian Dior used to talk about the proportions and it’s something that is highly important in Couture. It’s a pity that people talk more about the embellishments nowadays but the core of Couture is the cut, the fabric and the proportions.

Every new designer who does Couture nowadays wants to be Galliano but Galliano was a virtuose in the simplicity. That’s why he was able to do whatever he wants. When you are good technically, the only limit is your imagination….

 

[dior_couture1245]

Tbh in Couture, everything is a matter of an eye. We saw Olivier Rousteing’s Couture début and how tragic it was despite his knowledge of the cut and the apparent virtuosity of his RTW collections. Someone like Lee McQueen. His first collection for Givenchy was questionable in terms of execution. Or even closer…Raf Simons had the same ressources as John Galliano and still managed to deliver the Dior HC FW 2013 collection…

Christian Dior used to talk about the proportions and it’s something that is highly important in Couture. It’s a pity that people talk more about the embellishments nowadays but the core of Couture is the cut, the fabric and the proportions.

Every new designer who does Couture nowadays wants to be Galliano but Galliano was a virtuose in the simplicity. That’s why he was able to do whatever he wants. When you are good technically, the only limit is your imagination….

It’s like you and I have been saying…so many “designers” these days…so few designers.

A true designer, like Galliano, as you mentioned, is concerned with cut, fabrication, balance and proportion. A true designer must be engaged in the actual make of their designs, inside and out. Once those skills have been honed, the sky is the limit.

It’s the same with McQueen…as iconic as his earlier work was, it wasn’t until after his time spent learning from the Givenchy ateliers did his work become infinitely more refined. It’s remarkable, really, to look at his first Couture collection in comparison to his last few, and then what his work for his own label looked like as soon as he left Givenchy. Night and day.

A real designer must concern him or herself firstly with the technical. Without it, it’s like trying to write a novel in another language without first being a master of that language.

Even good ideas are rendered useless when the creator cannot properly execute or even articulate their ideas.

 

[Cocteau Stone]

A true designer must be engaged in the actual make of their designs, inside and out. Once those skills have been honed, the sky is the limit.

I've been working as a tech in fashion for a university for a couple of years now and the thing I have noticed is that a majority of the students don't like being challenged, and they have a severe aversion to actual learning and constructive criticism. And I am seeing this noticeably in today's designers as well (not all, but most of them).

They seem to forget that fashion at its core is artisanal and relies on honing your craft to enhance your point of view, mistakes and successes included. I do blame some of the lecturers for not instilling that but also the fact that nowadays designers rarely have something they excel at craft wise. PR wise many of them succeed, like Jacquemus. Bit of a dumpster fire of a designer but it could work if there was an actual point of view but there is nothing really there. Matthew is just nothing. All I know of him still is something to do with hardware and everything else is forgettable.

I'm not the most excellent or top tier pattern cutter and textile designer, but I'm intuitive and know what needs working on, something so many designers lack. They all want to be the best from the get go but it doesn't work like that. I'd rather take some years to hone my skills further and understand the technical side of things than become a "brand". And it frankly makes me annoyed that Matthew is at Givenchy. Next thing you know we have Ludovic at Alaia and Plein collabing with Versace.

 

[blueorchid]

At least I have a good laugh to look forward to in July, I guess..

tenor

 

[Nomar]

Rosalia’s two looks for the MET were Givenchy couture so I imagine that’s probably a teaser of his couture debut? It reminds me a lot of Tisci which I’m honestly not mad about.

 

[YohjiAddict]

^TBH it’s probably my favorite outfit he’s shown throughout his tenure. I feel like the jewelry was overkill but the silhouette worked great for her and the way they interpreted the theme was nicely done. The spine-like embroidery in the back was beautiful.

 

[Deleted member 7575]

His first couple of collections were so dreadful, like Michael Kors on a coke binge.

It's since gotten better but it's not at all good.

Williams is a smart guy with his finger on the pulse of things but he's not a designer. He's very much of the moment, he knows what people want right now but I'm not sure he has the sensibility to execute it in a manner that can create a real conversation. In interviews, he complains about being labeled a streetwear designer, and yet that's exactly what he's doing for Givenchy.

But who cares what I think. I bet this stuff is ringing at the cash register like a bell choir on Easter.

 

[Lola701]

His first couple of collections were so dreadful, like Michael Kors on a coke binge.

It's since gotten better but it's not at all good.

Williams is a smart guy with his finger on the pulse of things but he's not a designer. He's very much of the moment, he knows what people want right now but I'm not sure he has the sensibility to execute it in a manner that can create a real conversation. In interviews, he complains about being labeled a streetwear designer, and yet that's exactly what he's doing for Givenchy.

But who cares what I think. I bet this stuff is ringing at the cash register like a bell choir on Easter.

Not really tho…
You know it’s doing that great when the brand is not even mentioned at their Assemblée…And they highlighted the performances of Marc Jacobs. There’s no hype around the brand so, it’s impossible to have something to drive the sales. They might sell a lot of logos and Riccardo’s era bags but it’s interesting that despite his connection, he hasn’t made Givenchy, the thing!

 

[Deleted member 7575]

Not really tho…
You know it’s doing that great when the brand is not even mentioned at their Assemblée…And they highlighted the performances of Marc Jacobs. There’s no hype around the brand so, it’s impossible to have something to drive the sales. They might sell a lot of logos and Riccardo’s era bags but it’s interesting that despite his connection, he hasn’t made Givenchy, the thing!

Ah! Great point!

 

[susseinmcswanny]

They might sell a lot of logos

I feel like they sell even less. The new Balmain logo print and Givenchy's look almost exactly the same, and I tend to see more people with Balmain. I guess it comes down to brand loyalty at that point though

 

[Lola701]

I feel like they sell even less. The new Balmain logo print and Givenchy's look almost exactly the same, and I tend to see more people with Balmain. I guess it comes down to brand loyalty at that point though

Or to identity/vision. I’ll always say that the most important thing in fashion is identity. You can sell terrible products if you have a strong identity ( look at Balenciaga). You can sell low quality with a strong identity (Jacquemus).
Someone like Victoria had good looking products with great quality but no identity…Look at the results.

When you are confident in your aesthetic, gifted from a creative pov, strong technically and casted at the right house (or manage to make it feel right), it works.

 

[Koibito]

LOL

 

[perhydrol]

I can't believe there's a single person waiting for his couture debut. At the same time, it's his last year at the house and I really don't think his contract will be extended. What is more, now we can observe the very same thing that was happening to Clare Waight Keller—she tried to push her vision via co-ed shows and in her final year Givenchy decided to divide men's and women's shows in a rather desperate attempt to gain more attention. Guess what Williams will show later this month.