For the second installment of Givenchy Plage, the luxury company has rounded out its assortment with more accessories — shoes, leather goods and handbags — and ready-to-wear that can be worn from the shore to a cocktail party.
The new styles are rolling out to Givenchy stores and online Thursday.
Beach-bound travelers can minimize their packing by opting for the day-into-evening options. While last year’s Givenchy Plage was designed by Matthew M. Williams, who has since exited the company, the new range was created by the Givenchy design studio. Ready-to-wear in the Provence stripes and a lemon print are expected to be popular choices with shoppers. The women’s assortment will retail from $350 for a bracelet to $3,150 for a caftan. The men’s collection starts at $290 for a bracelet and tops off at $2,700 for a jacket.
Keeping with the mood that was set last year, Givenchy Plage is meant to be playful, effortless and elegant, with an emphasis on “joie de vivre.” It all harks back to the relaxed refinement of Le Clos Fiorentina, the summer retreat in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat that was owned by the luxury house’s founder Hubert de Givenchy. Built in 1815, it is among the oldest houses on the Cote d’Azur. As a nod to Givenchy’s lemon grove, the new line includes a lemon print. Linen, which he incorporated into his first collection in 1952, is also featured in Givenchy Plage. Legend has it that his preferred look for the atelier — a linen jacket — caught the eye of Greta Garbo so he reimagined one as a beach cover-up for her. Other hints of the founder’s fondness for linen can be found in different styles in the Givenchy Plage collection.
Another wink at the namesake designer is a print that was inspired by his lemon grove there. There are also nautical and Provencal stripes in silhouettes with modern cuts.
Shoppers will find the Voyoubag in raffia with contrasting leather accents, and the G-Totebag in soft raffia. Swimsuits are also in the mix, as are hats to shield the sunshine. To be prepared for any weather changes or blasts of wind, there are lightweight layers like crop tops, tanks, button-downs and terry cover-ups that can be paired with a skirt or linen pajama pants.
In addition, Saks Fifth Avenue will pre-launch the collection Thursday with an exclusive wholesale assortment that is solely available on its site and in three Saks Fifth Avenue stores. There will also be activations and in-store visual moments. Interior installations are set for New York, Beverly Hills, and Houston to celebrate the launch. In Saks’ New York flagship, Givenchy will take over the main floor’s Atrium space, and there will also be a dedicated assortment in the Fifth Avenue Club’s Sophie Suite for special clients. The in-store displays in these three locations will feature signature Plage accents such as Givenchy’s new liquid 4G logo, raffia material, and French Provence stripes in linen. Palm trees and custom ceramics will add to the beachy mood.
Later in the month — on May 15 — Mytheresa will also launch an exclusive eight-piece extension of Givenchy Plage. Offered in an exclusive baby blue hue, the summery range will consist of dresses, separates and accessories that are all made in terry cotton jacquard and discreetly embellished with the house’s 4G signature emblem.