Question 1

True or false: Givenchy's first major collection in 1952 featured the 'Bettina blouse', named after a top model of the era.

Accepted Answer

True. The white cotton blouse with black embroidered ruffles was a hit and named for model Bettina Graziani, launching his career.

Question 2

True or false: Hubert de Givenchy was a professional ballet dancer before becoming a fashion designer.

Accepted Answer

False. He studied law and then fashion; there is no record of him training or performing as a ballet dancer.

Question 3

True or false: Givenchy personally designed the wedding dress for Grace Kelly's marriage to Prince Rainier III.

Accepted Answer

False. Helen Rose of MGM designed Grace Kelly's wedding dress. Givenchy did create outfits for her later, but not the wedding gown.

Question 4

True or false: Givenchy designed the iconic little black dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'.

Accepted Answer

True. He created that dress, but it was actually a long black gown, not a short 'little' dress—the term is a common misnomer.

Question 5

True or false: Givenchy never designed menswear; his house only produced women's haute couture and perfumes.

Accepted Answer

False. Givenchy launched a menswear line in 1973, and it remains a key part of the brand, though the house is best known for womenswear.

Question 6

True or false: Givenchy was the first designer to launch a ready-to-wear line for women, called 'Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique'.

Accepted Answer

False. Yves Saint Laurent pioneered ready-to-wear with Rive Gauche in 1966. Givenchy's boutique line came later, in 1968.

Question 7

True or false: Hubert de Givenchy was the first designer to use a celebrity as the face of a perfume, with Audrey Hepburn for 'L'Interdit'.

Accepted Answer

True. He created L'Interdit for Hepburn in 1957, and she became its first face, pioneering the celebrity fragrance campaign.

Question 8

True or false: Givenchy sold his fashion house to LVMH in 1988, but remained the head designer until 1995.

Accepted Answer

True. He sold to LVMH in 1988, stayed as creative director for seven more years, then retired. His last collection was spring 1996.

Hubert de Givenchy Trivia Questions