GIVENCHY HAUTE COUTURE A/W 08

"Swarovski has always been part of my universe. In Milan for my own label I took Swarovski crystals that had been burnt and embedded them into the leather of jackets so it looked like they were bursting out. At Givenchy for the couture I took sheer silk and covered them like trapped jewels. For this last couture collection inspired by Peru, we hand painted fringes of Swarovski crystal in a new fluorescent pink colour. Despite the vivid colour the crystals remained delicate and precious like a rare orchid in the heart of the forest.

For me, Swarovski crystal means not just luxury, but also innovation in something which is continually reinventing itself, continually evolving."

Riccardo Tisci, Creative Director, GIVENCHY