Givenchy launched its first men’s ready-to-wear collection in 1973.
The collection was known as Gentleman Givenchy and marked the house’s expansion beyond its established women’s couture and ready-to-wear businesses. Hubert de Givenchy applied the house’s polished Parisian style to menswear, emphasizing sharp tailoring, refined proportions and understated elegance rather than flamboyant novelty.
The date can be confusing because references sometimes distinguish between the opening of men’s boutiques, the development of a men’s line and the formal launch of the Gentleman Givenchy collection. Some accounts place early men’s activity around 1969, while fashion references identify 1973 as the landmark launch of the first men’s collection. For this question, 1973 is the canonical answer.
The launch came during a broader period of diversification for the Givenchy business. In the 1970s, the house extended its name into accessories, shoes, jewellery, ties and home-related products, while using licensing and ready-to-wear to broaden its audience beyond haute couture clients. Gentleman Givenchy became the enduring name associated with the brand’s menswear heritage.