Sarah Burton’s arrival at Givenchy created an immediate buzz in Paris. During renovations of Hubert de Givenchy’s first Maison on Avenue Alfred de Vigny, workers discovered vintage brown paper packages tucked away in a hidden cupboard. They contained the original calico patterns from his 1952 debut. For Burton, that discovery struck a chord. She began her own premiere by cutting directly on the stockman, something she calls second nature. Moving between fittings, the studio and the atelier, she set out to channel the house’s roots while shaping a new era in real time.
“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,” Sarah Burton said.
Her debut played out at the historic address on Avenue George V, where she cleared the stage of distraction and kept the focus on silhouettes that combined masculine tailoring with a modern feminine twist. Shoulders met hourglass contours, while fabrics were draped to reveal backs and tie into skirts that exuded a confident energy. She leaned into the heart of Givenchy: “To go forward, you have to go back to the beginning. To me, that’s about the atelier. It’s the heart and soul of Givenchy.”
A sense of timeless craftsmanship ran through the show. Chantilly lace nodded to the founder’s legacy but got a contemporary cut that elongated the form. Jacket sleeves ended just above the wrist, and sculpted coats hinted at cocoon shapes. Leather scarves replaced traditional bows, while a crisp white shirt—long a hallmark at Givenchy—became a dress that felt rooted in the present.
“I want to address everything about modern women. Strength, vulnerability, emotional intelligence, feeling powerful or very sexy. All of it,” Burton says.
Those words guided the accessories too. Shoes were playful objects of desire—frou-frou tulle mules, sleek cutaway heels, patent loafers paired with suiting. Boots zipped at the back to hug the calf. The Pinch and The Facet bags appeared in multiple forms, from handheld to over-the-shoulder, some shimmering with jeweled metal details. Broken-chandelier elements and reworked glass pearls showed up in statement pieces that felt collected from a story steeped in old couture glamour, but clearly here for now.
When Burton came out for her bow, the audience answered with applause that seemed to echo the excitement surrounding this house’s fresh trajectory. With a nod to heritage and a clear roadmap ahead, her era at Givenchy feels poised for a sharp, relevant chapter.
