Need help with a 1950's or 1960's Hubert de Givenchy Dress!

M

metal_thread_vintage

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Need help with a 1950\'s or 1960\'s Hubert de Givenchy Dress!

Hi,
I posted this on the VCA, but I'm not having much luck. I feel like there are some experts around here, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I just copied and pasted my post:

I'm trying to get specific as possible about what year it came from. I went to the library and looked through old Vogues, but I didn't realize that they did't really show Parisian fashions in most of their issues at this time (which surprised me.) Still, I was trying to identify the style. It's confusing because the bodice isn't tight, but the skirt is kind of full. It's got those buttons on either side of the waist. Feel like I've seen that before somewhere.

Anyway, I also contacted Givenchy, but they haven't gotten back to me yet, so I thought I'd give it a shot here. The label is also a source of confusion. For 50's and 60's items, I've only ever seen the labels with white lettering "Givenchy" on a black ground, with the couture number underneath that tag.

I know that he opened the Nouvelle boutique around 1968, but I think this is earlier. I've read in several bios that he started making luxury ready-to-wear in 1954. I'm wondering if this is one of those. no couture number, but the construction is INTENSE. smallest metal zipper I've ever seen, the side button near the zipper slips into the buttonhole which is attached around the zipper in a way I've never seen before. Stitching on the inside is insane. The material is tissue silk. almost sheer.

I've searched every darn corner of the web. Heaven of Gowns has a few early Givenchys but with the black tag. A few others have 1 or 2 examples, but again, either no tag shown (like at the frock) or a different tag. The only one that is even close is at Antique Dress. Supposedly it's an early 1960's coat.

Any thoughts?

Also, I would like to add this label to the resource here. How do I go about doing that? I should probably just go look, I guess. lol. I'm sure there's instructions.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated! I'm stumped on this one.

Kindest Regards!
 
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thank you! Coming for you, that means a lot. I frequent your website quite often for reference and inspiration. I've been moving into new territory sort of over the past month. I'm making the shift into the advanced realm of collecting, and it's kind of scary. Even thought, this doesn't appear to be couture (it's not numbered), I've been buying designer/couture which is riskier finiancially. Brave new world, right?
 
The blouson shape of the bodice says early 60's to me, but the longer skirt length says late 50's. Is the bodice a true blouson with a shorter inner lining, or is it just the way it fits your manni?

Because French fashion was slightly ahead of American fashion, I'm going to say 1958-59 and wait for others with a better grasp on Givenchy to weigh in. And while we wait, I'll be hoping I'm right! Nice find!
 
yes, EXACTLY, jody! That's what was tripping me up. I'm certain the bodice is meant to have a blouson shape even though the lining isn't shorter as you asked. It's gathered in such a way. I don't believe it was meant to be a dropped waist, and if it sits at the true waistline, it definitely billows out.
 
so, does anyone know what this might mean in terms of classifying this item as ready-to-wear as opposed to couture? I know that Givenchy licensed his name out in the 50's. I read the norman norrell thread about the coat, and someone was saying something about I.Magnin buying couture pieces for their stores. Could this be a similar situation? Several bios say that he started the first luxury ready-to-wear line in 1954, but I've never seen any of these pieces, only couture.
 
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Wow -- what a fantastic print! And a fantastic dress, for that matter!

I'm not very knowledgeable about Givenchy in particular, but I'm leaning towards Jody's late 50's supposition.

Mostly I just wanted to chime in and say "PRETTY!" and "Welcome to the VFG!" ;)
 
hi Kristine,

I kind of dropped in a little bit around here a few months ago, but I've been gone for a while. Thank you for the welcome though. It is good to be back.
 
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ok, a few votes for late 50's. Well that's kind of good news I think. Right in the Audrey Hepburn years. I can kind of see her wearing this dress. with little ballet flats or something. Maybe a little bright for her, but I saw a pic of her in a bright orange coat around 1962, so who knows! lol.
 
What a lovely dress! I can't help with the date.

When you wrote Givenchy? Who did you write--try the Attache de Presse. I always use Good Morning instead of "Dear...."

I've never seen this label, but my thought is that it was sold as "rtw" at Givenchy. Many houses sold rtw in a small boutique in Paris, even though they did not produce a rtw line. In fact, it was forbidden by the Chambre Syndicale. They sometimes called this a "boutique" line.

M. de Givenchy has an apt. in New York; you might consider writing to him in care of the Givenchy Boutique with a note on the front to please forward. Don't be discouraged--just keep asking.

When writing consider asking for a history of the House as well as information about your specific garment. Claire
 
Hi - I saw this dress on eBay and FREAKED out! I'm so glad it went to a collector!

That being said, I have to vote VERY late 50's, to early early 60s here. If you check out Audrey Hepburn in Charade (still dressed by Givenchy in that movie), which was 1964, the sheath skirts seem a good deal slimmer to me than your dress, making me think '64 is a bit late...

Either way, an absolutely GORGEOUS dress - and who doesn't love dresses with fish (or birds for that matter) on them?

Congrats!
 
I spoke with the press agent in New York - she was extremely kind and sent all of my pics, info to the Givenchy headquarters in Paris. She didn't say how long it would take. I'm just impatient. lol. Hopefully, they're working on it.
 
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First, thanks so much for the label. We'll get it added soon.

I'm with Jody. This looks very much like the late 50s yto me. As for the label, this is probably the forerunner of the Nouvelle Boutique, which you have already said started in 68. PLEASE, don't forget to let us know what you find out.

So you aren't going to sell it??:no:

Lizzie
 
awesome! Thank you Lizzie - I'm glad it can be added to the list. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet. I'm moving to a new house and I could use the money, but at the same time, I feel like it should go somewhere special. Or I should wear it. I think it fits me. lol. I need to stare at it for a little while at least, if you know what I mean.
 
BTW - If you have one, I'd LOVE to see a great close-up pictures of JUST the fish! :wub:

But don't trouble yourself or anything.
 
Fantastic dress, glad you came here to ask. Saw it on the VCA but knew you'd likely not get much help there.....nice to see some really good solid answers for you.

Great dress!

Ang
 
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