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Givenchy moved its fashion show from Paris to New York this season, previewing its spring 2016 collection last evening on Manhattan's Pier 26. The major schedule change was made by the brand to celebrate its new Madison Avenue flagship, which opened just over a week ago. It's not every day a historic French house chooses to skip Paris — world capital for all things capital-F fashion — for New York, and Givenchy made the shakeup count.
Riccardo Tisci, who is 10 years into his gig as the company's artistic director, chose the date of September 11th for the show, the 14th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on downtown NYC. From the pier where the event was held, there's a clear view of the new World Trade Center farther downtown, which glitters magnificently in the setting sun, and the show was smartly timed for 6:30 pm (though models didn't hit the runway 'til after sunset, around 7:30 pm). Guests had plenty to occupy their eyes with while they waited: the artist Marina Abramović helped art direct the show and had performers hoisted high on pedestals holding saplings, stepping under faucets, and slowly embracing each other. Celeb-watching was another easy way to pass time, if lowbrow in comparison; Tisci knows how to stack a front row with top talent across film, music, and fashion. His New York FROW was heavy on American superstars, including Julia Roberts, Debbie Harry, Courtney Love, Rachel Zoe, Nicki Minaj, Victor Cruz, and — of course — Kim and Kanye.
As for the clothes, a whopping 88 looks were shown, covering both men and women. Absolutely everything was black or white, with womenswear heavy on lace, sheer panels, and asymmetric draping. Slip dresses dominated the collection, followed by slouchy trouser styles paired with delicate tops. See the entire range in the gallery above, plus some looks at the stunning atmosphere surrounding the show.