Givenchy Fashions A Buyers Guide

Givenchy Fashions Across the Decades
Since its founding in 1952, the House of Givenchy has introduced trend-setting, timeless styles that never seem to go out of fashion. Here are some of Givenchy's most quintessential looks.

Iconic Givenchy Fifties and Sixties Styles
As a hot new designer during the 1950s, company founder Hubert de Givenchy used the stunningly-beautiful actress Audrey Hepburn as his muse, and his fashions perfectly suited her long, slim body shape. Throughout the next several decades, fashionistas around the world vied for his couture creations, many of which featured a simple, uncluttered, elongated line that slimmed the body while adding height to the figure.

1970s and 1980s: Givenchy Accessories and Off-the-Rack Fashions
During the 1970s, Givenchy diversified its line to include accessories such as ties, handbags, jewelry, sunglasses and nightwear. In addition, consumers soon began to find less-expensive, mass-produced "off-the-rack" dresses and clothing items, all of which made the Givenchy brand more affordable to the average consumer.

In today's market, vintage Givenchy styles can go for high prices on the secondary market, especially couture items from the designer's early years. Likewise, a large number of later, mass-produced vintage Givenchy items can be found on eBay at prices much lower than their original retail cost.

Contemporary Givenchy Fashions
Today, Givenchy is marketing a large number of quality, mass-produced items to particularly appeal to the younger demographic. Here are a few of their biggest sellers:

T-Shirts: Givenchy T-shirts are among the hottest fashion items in the industry today. Most sought-after are the Rottweiler and Doberman prints, but Givenchy's exclusive tattoo and gothic-looking floral prints are also popular as well.
Jackets: Givenchy is currently producing a bestselling line of men's outerwear jackets. Among the latest designs, one of the most popular is the floral roses pattern.

Givenchy Originals: What to Look For
As with any designer clothing, there's a huge market for fake Givenchy clothes and accessories. While many of these knock-offs are cheaply made, it's sometimes difficult for the untrained eye to be able to distinguish fakes from the genuine article. One item in particular that's being faked in huge numbers is the Rottweiler T-shirt. Here are some tips for ensuring that your Givenchy piece is genuine:

Labels
A quick online search will give you an idea of exactly how an authentic Givenchy label from a certain era should look. Fake Givenchy items will have improper labels with misspellings, or may not have labels at all.

Pricing
While bargains are always available, a $200 blouse selling for less than $10 is too good to be true. Dealers will always try to make a decent profit from genuine articles. If a price is way too cheap, it's always a red flag.

Construction
Check the overall construction of the item. Does the fabric look and feel like it's high quality? Are the seams and trimming straight? Givenchy couture dresses will often have a lining underneath, and might also have features such as shoulder pads.

Feedback
If you're buying on eBay, you can instantly check the seller's feedback with just a click of the mouse. If the seller has multiple positive transactions from satisfied buyers, then you can rest assured that you'll be getting a genuine Givenchy item that's worth what you're paying for it.

Photos
Unscrupulous dealers will go to great lengths to fabricate Givenchy. If you're buying online, check the photos carefully, and make sure that the pictured item tallies with the original Givenchy product. A quick look through Givenchy's website will give you a good idea of how a certain item, such as a T-shirt or a piece of jewelry, should look. If there are variations in the pattern, or if the overall coloring is faded, then chances are that it's a fake.