Matthew M Williams Reconstructs a New Sense of Formality for Givenchy FW23
Redefining traditional menswear archetypes and dress codes with a new perspective of contemporary masculinity.
Following his SS23 season in Paris, Matthew M Williams continues to bring a sophisticated edge to streetwear to execute his vision for the house of Givenchy. This Fall/Winter 2023 sees Williams continue to re-evaluate the traditional archetypes of menswear to bring forward a new vision for contemporary masculinity in fashion.
A new formality is on the horizon for menswear with Williams as he reconstructs and deconstructs bespoke suiting pieces and ordinary silhouettes to create a modified set of dress codes for classics. The collection was presented in an optical white box that highlighted each outfit that walked down the runway. Staying true to his technical roots, the artistic director’s approach to the pieces utilizes his ability to amalgamate traditional suiting motifs with streetwear silhouettes. He employs techniques that transform garments and accessories through magnifying radical cutting and complex fabric treatments.
Playing on the elevated design notes from the house, Williams revisits menswear archetypes to interpret French fashion with American influence. The collection was all about creating textures and unique focal points for each of the pieces. Williams adds his own flair when it comes to customizing the tailoring for his collection. Nothing was tucked in, but rather, pieces were layered on top of each other to create the maximum effect of the idea. Cropped sweatshirts were paired with baggy layers of sportswear, while leather jumpsuits were tied at the waist to resemble trousers to pair with oversized hoodies and blazers. Patterns were in abundance, from faux snakeskin to cheetah print to plaids, mesh, canvas, to denim.
Williams brought the edge to formal wear, finding the sweet spot that combines streetwear silhouettes with traditional menswear archetypes. Take a look through the full collection above.
In other fashion news, Bianca Saunders FW23 was performance art.
