Givenchy 27/11/07 14:44 Page 063
‘I don’t like women who are
too common – fortune tellers,
Barbie dolls... I like a modern woman
who wears a stunning scent’
Hubert de Givenchy
Hubert De Givenchy
torque. Parfums Givenchy began torque. What kind of women were your torque. Of all the fragrances you have
Hubert de Givenchy. When you create
50 years ago. Why did you decide to fragrances designed for? created, which is your favourite? a fragrance, it must express your identity.
create a Fragrances division?
Things have to be repeated so that the
Hubert de Givenchy. With Le De, I wanted to Hubert de Givenchy. Naturally, I am very fond public understands what you are trying to say.
Hubert de Givenchy. The couture house was
create a fragrance for a mature, accomplished of my first women’s and men’s scents, but I The identity of Parfums Givenchy involves the
a success soon after it was founded, because
woman. I created L’Interdit with Audrey would say that Givenchy III is one of my expression of a certain type of elegance.
we were offering something new in fashion.
Hepburn in mind. I was thinking of a photo favourites. That is the fragrance for which
All the big couture customers were looking for
of her with her face covered by a transparent I designed the 4G logo – three Gs for the
torque. If you were going to create
something different. Very soon after, I had offers
veil, like a veil of perfume. I said to her, “I want fragrance and one for the brand name. It is
a fragrance today, what would it be like?
– notably from the Ornano family – from people
this fragrance to be uniquely for you.” I looked still being used.
who wanted to be my partner in the launch of a
for fragrance notes that would correspond to
Hubert de Givenchy. We never made a
fragrance. Cristobal Balenciaga advised me to
her personality. I had her test the trial versions,
torque. Givenchy III gave Parfums
fragrance using peonies. It is such a subtle
take the leap, but on my own. I didn’t have the
and she gave me her opinion. We tried to
Givenchy a boost, but wasn’t the company flower, with such a short lifespan – the beauty
means to do it alone, but he insisted. He was
capture certain sensations, and we finally
almost bought out by a foreign group
of a fragrance is also about capturing the
always extremely encouraging. He offered to
after that?
succeeded. Then, in great secrecy, we had
ephemeral. What a privilege! I would like a
lend me workspace, and with his support,
some of our models, friends and customers
fragrance with all the simplicity of truth.
we got started.
Hubert de Givenchy. That’s true. We had
try it out. Wafts of L’Interdit floated all around
a good buyout offer, but in the end the torque. What advice would you give
the couture house.
torque. Why did you decide to launch
government decided that the Institut de
to today’s perfumers?
two fragrances at the same time?
torque. What is your idea of a fragrance?
Développement Industriel would buy it in 1980
while waiting for a French owner, which turned
Hubert de Givenchy. Keep to the essentials.
Hubert de Givenchy. Because I didn’t know
Hubert de Givenchy. A fragrance should
out to be Veuve Clicquot.
Don’t complicate things too much.
how they would be received. I thought that at
be smelled, then disappear, then reappear –
least one of them would be appreciated. I was
torque. Is there a link between the
like a new discovery. It is forever linked to a
lucky both were successful.
various Givenchy fragrances?
particular person.
LEFT: Audrey Hepburn ABOVE RIGHT: Hubert de Givenchy
Photography by Cecil Beaton
torque | 063
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