Hubert de Givenchy has passed away, aged 91. The founder of the iconic fashion house Givenchy died in his sleep on Saturday in Paris, in the home he shared with his partner (and fellow designer) Philippe Venet. The French Aristocrat founded the fashion house in 1952 and was seen as the sole creator of 'the little black dress'. He was also famous for introducing the notions of separates – jackets and tailored trousers, giving the wearer the modern option of mixing and matching. His good friend and muse Audrey Hepburn was a huge influence on his collections and the stylish pair worked together on some of Audrey's most memorable films – Sabrina, Funny Face and of course, Breakfast at Tiffany's.
Hubert de Givenchy and Audrey Hepburn were great friends
Speaking of their friendship and the look that Givenchy gave her, Audrey exclaimed: "It was… an enormous help to know I looked the part…Then the rest wasn't so tough anymore. Givenchy's lovely simple clothes gave me the feeling of being whoever I played." The 40-year-strong friendship helped both her career and give the designer a huge platform in cinema and fashion history.
Hubert de Givenchy designed the iconic little black dress which was worn in Breakfast at Tiffany's
His glittering career was incredible – he dressed some of the most well-known face ever – including royalty and politicians – Princess Grace of Monaco and Jackie Kennedy were huge fans. Jackie even wore one of his designs to John F Kennedy's funeral in 1963. His classic ensembles and designs celebrated the female form with classic lines and tailored shapes. Hubert ran Givenchy totally independently for a whopping 33 years, before reportedly selling it for $45 million to luxury conglomerate LVMH in 1988. An abundance of world-famous designers headed up the brand since then – John Galliano, Alexander McQueen and Italian designer Riccardo Tisci (who recently moved to Burberry after Christopher Bailey’s departure.)
