PARIS.- Christie's announced the sale of the exceptional fine and decorative arts collection of legendary fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy, featuring more than 1,200 lots of French and European Furniture and works of art, including sculpture and paintings from Old Masters to Modern and Contemporary works. Each object was chosen with Hubert de Givenchy’s meticulous eye and reflects his exquisite taste. Drawn from two of de Givenchy’s most iconic and elegant homes—the Hôtel d'Orrouer in Paris and the Château du Jonchet in the Loire Valley—the collection includes many exceptional objects unseen on the market for decades as well as more recent works acquired towards the end of his collecting journey. Christie’s will offer this extraordinary collection at auction in Paris from 14 to 17 June (live sales) and from 8 to 23 June 2022 in a dedicated online sale. The timing of the announcement of the sale coincides with the 70th anniversary of the first haute couture collection Hubert de Givenchy presented in Paris on 2nd of February 1952, which was a resounding international success.
Ambassador of French taste
A major figure in the world of haute couture and fashion, Hubert de Givenchy's name embodies the quintessence of elegance and the Grand Gôut français. Over the course of his life, he assembled an exceptional collection of furniture and classical and modern art, which he arranged in his homes according to the same exacting standards, exquisitely refined sensibility and passionate creativity that he applied to his work as a couturier.
On 8th of June, Christie’s invites the public to enter Hubert de Givenchy’s world through a curated pre-sale exhibition at Christie’s Paris, just prior to the start of the auctions. Highlights from the collection will be announced this spring and exhibited as part of a worldwide tour to key cities, including Palm Beach, New York and Hong Kong, before arriving back in Paris.
Cécile Verdier, President of Christie’s France: “We are extremely honoured that the family of Hubert de Givenchy has entrusted Christie’s with the auction of his fine and decorative art collection, which combines his clear aesthetic vision for his interiors, with some of the most important collections in the world.“
Charles Cator, Deputy Chairman of Christie’s International continues: “Hubert de Givenchy was for many years a member of the international board of Christie’s and entrusted the house twice during his lifetime with the sale of objects from his collection. This summer the auctions are an opportunity to celebrate Hubert de Givenchy as one of the greatest ambassadors of French taste and to tell his story of the art of living, collecting and the elegance he sought to capture in all things.”
Timeless classic: Hubert de Givenchy
Born in Beauvais in 1927 into an aristocratic family of Venetian origin, Hubert Taffin de Givenchy moved to Paris at the age of 17 to study at the Beaux-Arts. He rigorously assembled his collection with great care and a demand for excellence throughout his life. His eye was refined from an early age, growing up with a great-grandfather who designed stage sets for the Paris Opera and a grandfather who was the administrator of the Beauvais tapestry factory, as well as a great collector in his own right. Hubert de Givenchy’s family and cultural heritage nourished his creativity, taste for materials, colours, and décor. He was passionate about artists and craftsmanship, and the interiors he created were imbued with a purified classicism that celebrated his passion for the 18th century. He once remarked, "Fashion changes, but the 18th century style will endure, as it is of exceptional quality. [Such style will endure] on the condition that it is not restrained within a fully period atmosphere… that it is given a breath of fresh air by Delaunay, Arp, and Giacometti, and above all, that it is not weighed down by pompoms and trimmings.”
In 1952, Hubert de Givenchy opened his own fashion house on rue Alfred de Vigny in Paris. He was immediately noticed for his innovative style, creating the “Bettina blouse,” a simple white cotton blouse named after model Bettina Graziani. He went on to dress the most elegant and iconic women of the late 20th century, including Jacqueline “Jackie” Kennedy Onassis and Audrey Hepburn, the Countess Mona Bismarck, the Duchess of Windsor, the Duchess of Devonshire, and Marella Agnelli.
Interior design as an extension of his work as a fashion designer
A tireless worker, constantly energized and inspired by new projects, Hubert de Givenchy always considered his passion for art, decoration and gardens as an extension of his work as a fashion designer: "I try to achieve harmony between architecture, decoration, and colour.” Using his favourite palette: green, gold, white and black, he designed his interiors in a very structured style, assigning each object a well-defined place.
Hubert de Givenchy’s family: “Through this sale, we are very pleased to be able to celebrate the exceptional taste of Hubert de Givenchy and his lifelong companion Philippe Venet. We wish to share the elegance and aesthetic heritage that they have passed on to us in order to inscribe their vision in the history of art and interior design in a universal way.”
