RUNWAY: Givenchy FW17

Riccardo Tisci has long looked to America for inspiration for his collections: stars, stripes and Americana have consistently popped up in Givenchy's collections. So what does the Italian designer do for FW17 when Givenchy's show time happened to coincide the Inauguration of America's new president, one who got less votes from The People and, by his own admission, was aided by the help of a foreign, hostile nation? Tisci stayed positive and looked at those who have been disadvantaged the most, especially in the last two years during an election process that seemed unending. There were nods to Native Americans, racial minorities, LGBTQ and, of course, powerful women as evidenced from the strong SS17 couture collection that was shown at the end of the show and has now become a tradition on this runway.

Boldly striped shirts and Totem pole faced knits added a whimsical air to the collection while colorful toggles on a coat resembled rainbows while stripes and a starry knit rounded out the collection that was intentionally lighter in tone, not as heavy and brooding as collections past. Stay positive, says Tisci, who may or may not positively leave Givenchy and join Versace, should the latter's IPO come to fruition.