Givenchy presented its first haute couture collection in 1952.
Hubert de Givenchy opened his own Paris fashion house that year after working with established designers, most notably Elsa Schiaparelli. His debut collection was called Les Séparables, reflecting his innovative use of mix-and-match skirts, blouses and other pieces rather than relying only on complete formal ensembles.
The collection attracted immediate attention, especially for the Bettina blouse. Named after model and publicist Bettina Graziani, the white cotton blouse featured dramatic ruffled sleeves and became an early signature of the new house. Vogue praised the debut, helping turn the young designer into a major figure in French fashion.
The year 1952 is sometimes confused with later milestones. Givenchy introduced the shirt dress in 1954, developed the sack dress in 1957 and launched his men’s line, Gentleman Givenchy, in 1969. Those were important innovations and expansions, but they did not mark the beginning of the couture house.