Givenchy has announced that Matthew M Williams will step down as creative director, a post the Illinois-born designer has held for four years.
With Williams set to leave on January 1, the LVMH-owned luxury brand has entered another period of uncertainty. Under the guidance of Williams and the previous two creative directors Riccardo Tisci and Clare Waight Keller, Givenchy has been working hard to find a stable foothold in the luxury field. Although LVMH does not disclose sales figures for individual brands, it is suspected that sales figures have declined as Givenchy struggles to maintain its popularity.
Analyst Luca Solca told The Business of Fashion: “I don’t think Givenchy is in a leading position and the brand’s revenue is likely to be below pre-pandemic levels.”
With Williams at the helm, Givenchy blends the designer’s punk streetwear and tailoring styles. With his innate avant-garde core, Williams has breathed new life into this long-established fashion house. However, it wasn’t enough to put Givenchy back in the spotlight.
“As I said when I joined Givenchy in 2020, it has been a lifelong dream of mine to lead the creative direction of Givenchy,” Williams said in a statement. “For three years, I have worked hard to continue the legacy of Hubert de Givenchy while also Bringing my own creative vision, I sincerely thank the Studio, Renaud de Lesquen and LVMH for this unique opportunity.”
