Givenchy, Hubert de

(born Feb. 21, 1927, Beauvais, Fr.) French fashion designer. After studying art at the École des Beaux-Arts, he designed for the Paris fashion houses of Robert Piguet, Lucien Lelong, and Elsa Schiaparelli. In 1952 he opened his own house and introduced his first collection, featuring separates, high-style coats, and elegant ball gowns. In 1957 he and Cristobal Balenciaga introduced the “sack” silhouette (clothes without waistlines). His designs for Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) popularized the high-bosomed dress without sleeves or belt. In the 1960s his ready-to-wear boutiques brought high fashion at low prices to women throughout the world.

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