Unafraid of newness and willing to push the envelope, Matthew Williams dove headfirst into his role as Creative Director at Givenchy in late 2020. Williams, who took over for designer Clare Waight Keller, quickly found his footing at the brand, helping to modernize while embracing the brand’s core codes and DNA.
It was immediately clear that Williams’ background in streetwear would largely influence his design aesthetic at Givenchy. During his 3+ years at the House, the designer continued to hone in on his vision for Givenchy. Sleek, Chic, and cool with an edge, his designs felt contemporary yet classically Givenchy.
The Final Chapter
Now, we have the closing chapter of Matthew Williams’ time at Givenchy, as it was announced last week that the House would be ending its creative collaboration with Matthew Williams. The designer certainly left his mark on the house, refining a vision of luxury meets technicality.
At the end of the day, Williams was nothing if not consistent, with each collection pairing back to what the designer himself would like to wear.
“It’s kind of the same story as always; in menswear making clothes for myself, clothes that I feel have a need to exist. Exploring the themes of silhouette and materials that I’ve been following since I arrived at Givenchy,” Matthew Williams told Vogue Runway.
The Bags of Pre-Fall 2024
For Pre-Fall 2024, this chapter at the House closes out with new iterations of the Voyou bag, which has become one of Williams’ greatest hits at House. Aside from the many shapes and sizes of the Voyou, statement clutches were mixed in alongside a cute new top handle bag, which appears to be inspired by the codes of the Antigona.
It was a fitting way for Williams to go out, as his revamping of the House icon kicked off his time at Givenchy. Given that Pre-Collection is a precursor to the brand’s larger fall collection, it will be interesting to see how this impacts what’s to come next.
View bags from the fall pre-collection below, images via Vogue Runway.
