Barely a year into her appointment as Givenchy's artistic director and Clare Waight Keller has already produced a blockbuster hit of a bag with the GV3. Imran Jalal reports from Hong Kong on how this house signature is a leading lady in the It bag game.
Barely a year into her appointment as Givenchy's artistic director and Clare Waight Keller has already produced a blockbuster hit of a bag with the GV3. Imran Jalal reports from Hong Kong on how this house signature is a leading lady in the It bag game.
New to the GV3 collection this Pre-Fall: a roomy, slightly rugged-looking bucket bag inspired by a sailor’s duffel.
The biggest buzz about Clare Waight Keller’s appointment as Givenchy’s artistic director is how she’s the first woman at its helm. The second biggest buzz when the announcement came last March was how she could catapult the French label to the forefront as an It bag maker, what with her track record.
Her light touch – as with the best of female designers – lies in her preternatural ability to know what real women want in their wardrobes. As her ready-to-wear collections for Givenchy attest, practicality is as important to her as looking (and feeling) pretty/on trend/cool – and her first bag for Givenchy is no different.
Debuted in S/S ’18, the GV3’s most distinct feature is its metal chain strap that’s both functional and ornamental, lending a punk edge or vintage elegance, depending on how one carries it. Every style – flap bags in various sizes, a nano version that can be worn on a belt, an evening-appropriate clutch – is roomy and organised, thanks to accordion- like compartments.
The “high fashion” touch comes in the finishes that range from goat skin to hand-dyed python skin, as well as the craftsmanship. Each piece is painted and assembled by hand.
Now, the brand’s introduced a bucket bag variation, as well as a host of vibrant colourways on the existing styles for Pre-Fall. As they hit the spotlight in stores, here’s what you should know about the GV3.
The chain on the GV3 is inspired by both men’s pocket watches and women’s jewellery.
IT’S NAMED AFTER AN ICON
The GV3 moniker is a nod to the initials of Givenchy’s store address on Paris’ Avenue George V, No. 3.
IT’S BIG ON CHAINS
The vintage-inspired hardware is a distinguishing feature of the line ($2,490-$4,750), and takes its cues from the chains of men’s pocket watches and women’s jewellery.
IT BOASTS A LEGENDARY LOGO
The flap bags come with double G clasps that riff on the iconic “4G” logo that Hubert de Givenchy designed in 1970 and Clare Waight Keller resurrected for S/S ’18.
IT COMES IN MANY SIZES
The flap bag design comes in medium, small, mini and nano sizes. The latter can be fitted on a belt and transformed into a bum bag. Their three-compartment accordion-style designs also mean they are roomy, but not bulky. There is also a small clutch-slash- cross-body bag. For Pre-Fall, there’s a new addition, which brings us to the next point…
IT DEBUTS A BUCKET BAG FOR PRE-FALL
Inspired by a sailor’s duffel, the bucket bag comes with two compartments that can be fastened either by magnetic clasps or a D-ring hook. The adjustable strap also allows the bag to be worn as a backpack.
IT NOW HAS MORE FUN UPDATES
Think flap bags (left) with an irreverent patchwork of creased leather and gem-hued calfskin, and bold finishes on exotic skins such as a metallic teal or a cardinal red patina.
Photography (Clutch Bag) Vee Chin
Styling Adeline Eng
