In a frowning ceremony accompanied by incense smoke and slowly melting candle wax, Riccardo Tisci re-creates himself as the master and black knight of Haute Couture, choosing the cross as his instrument and terrifying shibboleth. The holy lieu for his dark inauguration is isolated from the outside world, only allowing sporadic rays to enlighten the scene and cut through the solemn darkness. Illuminated by rows of white candles appears the emcee of ceremonies and introduces his agenda marked by occult symbolism and a romantic, superposed worship of women.

His creations quote the concept of dark brides, predetermined to surrender themselves to opulence, relentlessness and sorrow. As Tisci establishes himself, his brides agree to a lifelong alliance by changing into his severe wedding robes. They are irrevocably transformed into his army of soldiers. Their weapons: seduction, severity and mysticism. Compositions that simultaneously don’t deny softness and fragility, ingeniously crafted and embellished.

It was with such a cult procession that Riccardo Tisci introduced his collection for Autumn/Winter 2005, the symbolic birth date of his transformation of the house of Givenchy,  whose following collections and Haute Couture presentations still embody this very archaic vision and gothic pathos. This is subtly communicated through minute references, such as the reversed cross and the repetitive theme of the dark bride. While the essence remains untouched and saintly, the creations evolve through themes of orientalism and the dichotomy of evil and virginity.

In retrospect, each collection reads as a chapter of Riccardo Tisci’s holy book, leather-bound and engraved with golden letters. It retells the eternal myth of darkness and light. Thus, in his version, the dark and the light don’t appear as a contradictory pairing. The black warrior and the virgin bride dissolve into one personae. As a result of Tisci’s ceremony and incantation, the eternal forces are united. Black leather and nude tulle create a symbiosis; armor shield and transparency are concentrated. The synergistic work of Riccardo Tisci.

text by Andreas Schmidl of Lynn & Horst