The look of love
Man of the moment Riccardo Tisci's dark, sensual designs for Givenchy come straight from the heart, writes Jing Zhang
Givenchy's creative director just co-chaired the annual Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala Benefit in New York, with Anna Wintour, Rooney Mara and Beyonce Knowles. He is also celebrating eight fruitful years at the French fashion house with collections lauded by critics and customers alike. The fashion industry is full-blown, head-over-heels enamoured with the designer.
But most importantly, Tisci is in love.
"One thing about my work is that it comes naturally from my heart," says the handsome Italian, dressed in casual white T-shirt under a checked button-up shirt, and sitting in a grandiose white lounge in Givenchy's Avenue George V couture atelier in Paris.
It is two days after his emotive autumn-winter 2013 show at Paris Fashion Week, and Tisci appears relaxed, convivial and down to earth - in contrast to the sexy, brooding magazine portraits of him.
During his moments of intensity, you glimpse the creative power behind one of Paris' coolest fashion houses. According to Tisci, he can design a full collection, even couture, in just two days.
"You can read from my collections if I am happy or going through a tough moment in life, because my style completely changes," Tisci says, cigarette in hand, as it always seems to be. "In one collection, I was really upset and angry with love and with someone I was loving. This season you can see that it is light and romantic, because I am really in love."