DUBAI: Designer Matthew Williams, the founder of streetwear label 1017 Alyx 9SM, has been appointed as the new creative director for Parisian luxury label Givenchy.
Williams and Givenchy announced the news via a 50-second audio message posted on the brand’s Instagram account on Monday morning.
“I’ve worked every day for 15 years for this single goal,” said the designer. “At the same time, it’s bittersweet – we’re living in unprecedented times in the world. I just hope in some way I can bring hope and bring positive change to the industry and the world.”
In a released statement, he said: “I am extremely honored to join the House of Givenchy. The Maison’s unique position and timeless aura make it an undeniable icon and I am looking forward to working together with its ateliers and teams, to move it into a new era, based on modernity and inclusivity.”
Williams, 34, succeeds previous creative director, Clare Waight Keller who stepped down from the role after three years in April. He becomes the French house’s seventh couturier. He will start on June 16 and he is expected to present his first designs for Givenchy in October.
The designer follows in the footsteps of Virgil Abloh, who was the first streetwear designer tapped to spearhead a storied luxury fashion house, when he was hired at Louis Vuitton in 2018.
He will continue to operate Alyx independently.
