The Story of Givenchy
By Jagged Metal
Hubert de Givenchy founded his house in Paris in 1952, at just twenty-four years old. He'd trained under Jacques Fath and served as artistic director at Schiaparelli, but his own aesthetic was something different: lighter, cleaner and more modern than much of what was coming out of Paris at the time.
Two relationships shaped the early house. His friendship with Cristóbal Balenciaga — who became a mentor — gave Givenchy a discipline and rigour that would define the brand's DNA. His working relationship with Audrey Hepburn gave him cultural reach that most designers could only dream of. From Sabrina to Breakfast at Tiffany's, the partnership created a new template for elegance: refined, youthful, quietly radical.
For the first two decades the focus was almost entirely on clothing. The jewellery came later — and when it did, it came with the same level of design intent and quality of execution that had made the house's tailoring famous.
Givenchy launched its jewellery collection formally in the mid-1970s, with the late 1970s often cited as a particularly strong period. Pieces from around 1977 to 1981 are date-stamped — the year and the Givenchy name on an oval plaque, typically on the reverse of pendants or the back of earring clips — which allows for unusually precise dating within costume jewellery and gives collectors a reliable authentication marker.
The quality of execution from this period is consistently high. Thick gold plating, solid construction, well-finished metalwork that generally wears well over time. The pieces that appear most frequently from this era — and command the most attention when they do — are the snake chain necklaces, often paired with lucite or enamel pendants in navy, amber or terracotta; faux jade pendants on fine gold chains stamped "Givenchy Paris New York 1977"; rectangular red enamel pendants featuring the double G logo; and long amber and gold sautoir necklaces with the GG fold-over clasp that doubles as a belt. The design drew on the house's architectural sensibility: modernist, purposeful, designed to hold their own against the flowing silhouettes of the period.
Much of the jewellery was produced under licence, which partly explains the variation in finish and construction that appears across later decades.
The 1980s brought bigger fashion and bigger jewellery, and Givenchy rose to the moment. The pieces that define this decade are the oversized 4G logo clip-on earrings — often in semi-dome or hoop form in lustrous gold-plated metal; jewelled collar necklaces set with crystals and cabochons; wide herringbone chain bracelets; chunky interlocked GG link necklaces; and large knot and bow brooches in white pearl and gold. Bold, gold-plated, designed for the power-dressing silhouettes of the time.
The 4G logo — four interlocking Gs combining Hubert de Givenchy's initials — became the defining design code of the decade, appearing as pendants, charms, clasp details and focal points throughout. Gold-plated metal dominates, with Swarovski crystals, faux pearls and rhinestones across the range.
Date stamps gave way to logo signatures in the 1980s: "Givenchy," "GIVENCHY Paris," or "Givenchy Paris New York," on oval plaques or on the reverse of earring clips.
Hubert de Givenchy retired in 1995. The house — part of LVMH since 1988 — passed through John Galliano, Alexander McQueen and later creative directors. As fashion moved toward minimalism, the jewellery followed: cleaner lines, simpler shapes, an increasing use of silver-tone alongside gold. The 1990s produced interlocked puffy double G logo chain chokers, hammered flexible link necklaces with matching earrings in matte gold, and graduated puffy mariner link chains — pieces that bridge the boldness of the 1980s and the restraint of what followed. The early 1990s pieces retain the construction quality of the 1980s work while the design vocabulary becomes more contemporary — underrated, and underpriced relative to Chanel or Dior from the same decade.
One practical note: silver-plated pieces from the 1990s can oxidise more easily than the earlier gold-plated work. Store them airtight, wrapped in acid-free tissue. The 1970s and 1980s gold-plated pieces are considerably more resistant, though as with all plated jewellery, condition varies — wear to plating and stones is common and affects value.
For collectors, the value proposition is consistent: quality of execution that stands alongside Chanel or Dior at prices that haven't yet caught up. The late 1970s date-stamped pieces are the strongest in the archive. The bold 1980s 4G clip-on earrings and logo pieces are the most recognisable and widely available. Early 1990s silver-tone work is undervalued and worth knowing.
Compared to the other major French houses, Givenchy costume jewellery remains accessible. The market is beginning to recognise it.
Jagged Metal specialises in authenticated vintage designer and costume jewellery from the 1960s through to Y2K. Browse our vintage Givenchy collection at jaggedmetal.com.
