Paris Fashion Week 2013: Givenchy’s divine inspiration

PARIS -- An organ solo. A procession of models in short dresses with wispy, wing-like panels pinned at their backs. No doubt, Riccardo Tisci had his Catholic roots in mind when he designed his spring-summer 2013 Givenchy collection, shown Sunday night during Paris Fashion Week. But he was also worshiping at the church of couture, paying homage to the old master Hubert de Givenchy, who founded his French fashion house in 1952.

The inspiration: The 1960s Givenchy archives, the traditional dress of nuns and the style of Italian architect Carlo Molino.

PHOTOS: Paris Fashion Week trends

The look: Couture meets ecclesiastical with a modern, romantic twist. Classic fabrics such as silk radzimer, duchesse satin, jacquard, taffeta and lace, with a soft color palette of sky blue, dove gray, white and black. Tuxedos with elongated jackets and apron tops layered underneath. Black pencil skirts with cloud-like white organza bubble tops. Pants worn with sheer, flyaway tunics anchored to the shoulders with gold clips. Cocktail dresses with single sleeves, soft ruffles at the collars and down the sides. Ankle strap sandals with wood block heels decorated with nails and rivets. Brass necklaces that brought to mind priest collars.

The scene: A model and celeb heavy crowd including Kanye West, Rachel Zoe, Natalia Vodianova and Erin Wasson.

The verdict: Heavenly. Classically elegant and softly sculptural. Tisci had some really interesting details, such as those metal clips and angel wing-like panels. But he knew where to draw the line so that things didn’t get overly tricky.

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