The figure of the woman has long been tied to many archetypes shaped by society and projected onto her. With her latest collection for Givenchy, Sarah Burton plays with these archetypes, analyses and deconstructs them, and constructs the image of a new woman. A woman who is not an object of desire but a woman who is self-aware, strong and sensual through the act of dressing and undressing.
The show took place at Hotel des Invalides, the same iconic place where Jonathan Anderson debuted his first collection for Dior. Once again, Burton referenced the house’s past and the legacy of its founder. The seats were made from stacks of white envelopes, a nod to Hubert de Givenchy’s forgotten 1952 patterns that were found inside the walls of his former mansion in Paris.
The collection unfolded in a palette of black and white contrasts and tailored and softer silhouettes. A little black dress opened the show, reminding us of a modern take on Audrey Hepburn’s timeless elegance. Open blazers left the bras exposed; shirts became full-length gowns with collars stretching out dramatically. Tulle and lace played with transparency, covering and uncovering the body in equal measure. Looks shifted from more structural to more princely ones: palazzo jeans with oversized shirts, tailored suits, white lace dresses paired with leather bombers, feather dresses and seashell bras with leather skirts like a modern Ariel.
Rhinestones became sculptural, big and chunky, transforming into dresses themselves. Accessories stood out as statement pieces: long earrings, chains worn as tops under blazers, and shoes with swinging fringes that bounced with each step, hypnotising, peeking from under black palazzo trousers as if they were part of a whole. But let’s get more into the details, because we can’t skip those discreet pockets on dresses and skirts that, hidden within the seams, add both comfort and functionality, or the choice of the casting with models like Vittoria Ceretti, Naomi Campbell, Kaia Gerber or Alex Consani walking the runway and embodying the collection spirit.
Sarah Burton once again reaffirmed herself as a girls’ girl designer, someone who designs for women, not about them. Her clothes don’t idealise or objectify; they empower. Burton understands what makes women feel beautiful, strong and free, creating garments that celebrate their complexity and confidence through both strength and softness. She was great at McQueen, but she definitely stole our hearts at Givenchy.
