We got an early glimpse of Sarah Burton’s new Givenchy at the Oscars. Elle Fanning debuted it on the red carpet: a sculpted white lace gown with a dramatic black bow. In keeping with the Old Hollywood aesthetic of many recent award show ensembles, the look felt like a bit of a throwback to the Hubert years. It turns out, that era would also be a major inspiration for Burton as she prepared her debut collection for the French house, shown today at Paris Fashion Week.
The teaser image, a simple but mysterious brown-paper parcel, was inspired by packets found hidden in the walls of Hubert de Givenchy’s first studio during a recent renovation. They contained couture patterns from his first collection in 1952. Burton was inspired by these unearthed pieces of history and chose to set her show at 3, Avenue George V, which has been the brand’s HQ since the mid-1950s.
“It’s my natural instinct to go back to pattern-cutting, to craftsmanship. To cut, shape and proportion. It’s what I feel, how I work, and want to do,” she said in her show notes. The first look out contained a GIVENCHY 1952 logo referencing both that first collection and the words stamped on the mannequins back then. The guests even sat on seats made from piles of brown-paper envelopes.
The ’50s are not often seen as a liberated decade for women, both in terms of politics and fashion. But the couture of the era did pioneer a modern, free silhouette that embraced the female body and worked with, not against, curves. Burton incorporated retro touches like bullet bras, bell sleeves, and exaggerated scarf motifs that added a flourish. (Along with some dramatic ribbon sashes that recalled Fanning’s Oscars look.)
But she also ensured that everything felt modern in the 2025 sense. A round-shouldered, nipped-waist blazer was worn on its own as a minidress, accessorized with bold silver earrings and smart logo boots. Tutu-like crinolines anchored sheer bodices. And, refreshingly, her casting did not extend only to the sample-sized. As Burton—who, it bears repeating, remains one of the few female designers at the helm of a major luxury brand—wrote, “I want to address everything about modern women. Strength, vulnerability, emotional intelligence, feeling powerful or very sexy. All of it.” And on all of those fronts, she certainly succeeded.
Véronique Hyland is ELLE’s Fashion Features Director and the author of the book Dress Code, which was selected as one of The New Yorker's Best Books of the Year. Her writing has previously appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, W, New York magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, and Condé Nast Traveler.
