Knees Shown By Givenchy

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30976, 4 February 1966, Page 2

Knees Shown By Givenchy

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

PARIS, Feb. 3.

Raising of skirts at the House of Givenchy is considered a crucial blow in favour of liberating knees.

Hubert de Givenchy extended the “battle of the hemlines” at his showing for buyers yesterday by showing slightly flared skirts barely reaching the top of the kneecap. The move was a bombshell. Givenchy, the House of Christian Dior and Christobal Balenciaga are regarded as the three wise oracles of'fashion. Now Balenciaga is the only hurdle before a world-wide bare knees revolution. If he displays knees at his showing for buyers today, experts predict women with passable legs will head for the dressmakers to have their skirts shortened.

or skirt underneath. Sometimes the tunic had a contrasting underskirt such as a white one that showed about six inches of navy blue underskirt below. Buyers said Givenchy showed practically every kind of silhouette in his collection, the largest in Paris. Suit jackets were both short and long, shoulders natural or droopy raglan.

Dior has already shown skirts above the knee. Givenchy also fell in with the youth movement. Buyers —the press was barred as usual from the salon for another month—reported that his clothes were “extra young.” He showed knee socks, white fishnet-type stockings and. occasionally, bright red or navy textured hose. He also confirmed that it will be a red, white and blue spring. Nearly every designer has used lots of white and/or navy blue with sometimes bright red thrown in. Givenchy’s collection included a white coat that could reverse to red. worn with a navy dress, red stockings and navy shoes. He featured many tunic dresses and coats several inches shorter than the dress