Givenchy Beauty’s creative director Thom Walker has parlayed his experience as a celebrated make-up artist into a new vision for the brand’s make-up line, since taking on the role in 2022. It is a vision that reflects the iconic aesthetic of the storied fashion house, all while meeting the needs of the modern beauty consumer. ‘It’s such an iconic brand to be a part of, with such a strong DNA from Hubert de Givenchy,’ Walker tells me over a call from the Givenchy offices in Paris. And, while it can be intimidating to work in the shadow of one of the 20th century’s great designers, Walker also concedes that it ‘kind of makes my job a lot easier’.
‘It's not like we’re a new brand where we haven't told a story yet,’ he says. ‘[With Givenchy] the story has already been told, so it’s about how you modernise that story and how you move that story forward. Mixing timeless elegance with the boldness Mr de Givenchy created is always at the front of my mind when we’re creating new products. And I always say it’s a little contradictory to have something elegant, but still really bold as well.’
