At the beginning of his career, working for Elsa Schiaparelli, Hubert de Givenchy imagines a new dress.
- Fashion design by Hubert de Givenchy when he worked for Elsa Schiaparelli.
- A leaf.
- In French.
- +/- 21 cm x 27 cm.
- Paris, between 1944 and 1952.
- Bottom left corner torn, but in excellent general condition.
- Single piece .
My dear Elsa,
I remembered you today, on a cold autumn afternoon with orange leaves, when I was walking through the streets of Paris, still a little aimless, thinking only about which restaurant I would choose for my dinner that night. In this humble letter, I will not be a poet boasting about your smile, but I do need to tell you something that occurred to me.
It was around five in the afternoon, and the artificial light from the houses blended with the golden sky at the end of the day. Everything was so peaceful that it almost bored me, until I saw a lady walking on the other side of the path. She was, indeed, a beautiful woman, but to be honest, she looked almost misshapen. Her curves were covered by a somewhat rococo dress, the kind my grandmother wore on our country picnics. An absurdly tight waist, which highlighted curves that were more than artificial, made me wonder if the woman passing in front of me was really a woman. But what would she be like if the fabric that wrapped her body enhanced her nature? Less sinuous and more elegant.
Having said that, I was overcome by an uncontrollable desire to draw. I grabbed the mechanical pencil, which I always carry in my pocket, and the first piece of paper I could find: a napkin from a charming café. Yes, I had to sit down and order something to eat, to justify the abrupt use of the poor napkin on the table. And from that moment on, a muse took hold of me, and I drew and drew without noticing the passing of time. It was already night when I finally put down the pen. I returned home with a small treasure hidden in my pocket. A small treasure, this one, that I now humbly share with you.
I apologize for interrupting your trip with business matters. However, I had to make sure that this letter reached you. Obviously, I took care to transfer that modest draft to a sheet of paper with all the pomp. After all, a lady like you surely deserves more than a soiled napkin. However, the drawing that I am sending you, along with this letter, was born from that moment of inspiration.
I am telling you all this because, as I transferred my drawing to this paper that is now in your hands, I thought about how useful it could be to you. I dream that this drawing will serve as inspiration for us to launch a new collection. I know how much you are bothered by the incessant competition that Coco Chanel insists on waging. Well, I feel that with this collection, she will no longer be able to say that you are “that Italian artist who makes clothes”. You will have to admit that you are the greatest artist in all of Europe, and that fashion is at your feet. I hope you will not take this bold dream of mine the wrong way, but the years of working with you have made me more than admire you. Therefore, I will also understand if you believe that all this was nothing more than a sweet illusion of a dreamy mind. However, full of hope, I eagerly await your response.
From your great admirer,
Hubert de Givenchy
The text above is 100% fictional, but the drawing is 100% original. Every autograph document, especially drawings, has known elements and others that we have to imagine... it's part of the magic of the discipline, from my point of view.
Hubert de Givenchy (1927 - 2018) was a major figure in French fashion and Givenchy remains a global company.
This drawing is particularly interesting - and rare - because it was created by Givenchy early in his career, when he was working for Elsa Schiaparelli.
