Oh, golly gee damn!

"Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot." - Holly, Breakfast at Tiffany's

Recognize that lady? Of course you do. That's Hollywood's own Audrey Hepburn. Recognize that dress? Of course you. That infamous little black dress. Know who made it? Of course you don't. But guess what? I'm going to tell you.

Imagine being ten years old, wandering wide-eyed at the 1937 World's Fair in Paris surrounded by a 28-foot sculpture of a buffalo, Picasso's "Guernica", a 500 ft high pavillion adorning an eagle and swastiska, and narrowly focusing on the outfits of the passersby. Paris was the place this young boy was destined to be. At the age of 17, he packed up and traveled back to the bustling fashion hub to learn the couturier business from Chanel's biggest rival, Elsa Shiaparelli. As modernist as Chanel was, Shiaparelli was surrealist. 

In 1952, the one and only Hubert de Givenchy launched his first luxury ready to wear line full of separates that were initially reserved for fittings only. After becoming the talk of Paris fashion, he called for Ms. Hepburn. Only not Audrey. She was a pleasant mistake which resulted in a long, profitable partnership that gave way to signature sixties style. 

After traveling the world and back, Givenchy decided to retire. In 1995, he handed the company to John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, and Julien Macdonald. A decade later, Riccardo Tisci took over Givenchy Femme haute couture and ready to wear collections. I must say, after reviewing the Fall 2011 and Resort 2012 collections, he is doing a damned fine job. 

So what does Givenchy have for us? Let me give your eyes a little sampling. Don't get your hopes up 'cause I'm not posting the entire Resort 2012 collection here, just a few select items that I'm hanging up in my dream closet. Try not to ogle too much.

 

I love this dress. That pseudo-military pocket on the front with it being fitted and flared in the right spots makes this a must-have in my dream closet. I would wear the fuck out of this dress with or without the shrug on top.

LOVE THIS DRESS. The print, the colors, the play on a mirrored image, the belt - to die. I want it. Then, they add THIS to it:

And I'm sold. The shrug? The bag? They will be mine. Oh yes, they will be mine. 

As the Fall 2011 Couture Collection clearly represents the multitude of upcoming celebrity weddings, I came across one that I would absolutely give my newborn child for:

And let's not neglect the back:

 It's stunning simplicity with the most intricate detailing that grabs your attention without being drawn out or gaudy is a tremendous testament to Mr. Tisci. It's easy to see past the sheerness of the material in this transient, angelic piece. It's absolutely beautiful.