Overnight, billboards popped up throughout Paris revealing a glimpse of Givenchy’s Spring-Summer 2027 menswear collection, the first from the brand’s new creative director, Sarah Burton.

Sarah Burton, the former creative director for Alexander McQueen, has begun her tenure at Givenchy, taking the brand’s 74 year legacy into her hands as only the second woman in the position. Known for her bold, and intricate designs, from the monarch butterfly minidress worn by Elizabeth Banks in The Hunger Games (2012) to Kate Middleton’s 2011 wedding dress, Burton is taking her revolutionary mind and applying it to menswear. 

The billboards are images from photographer Juergen Teller and feature three artists, Sir Donald McCullin, Don Letts, and Danny Fox. Known for his organic style of photography, Teller captures these creatives living in their Givenchy suits in a way that feels accidental, like we stumbled upon them in their homes rather than parading down a runway. 

The series starts with British photojournalist Sir Donald McCullin staged in an overgrown garden holding his Mamiya Press camera system. McCullin’s portfolio houses provocative images of warfare and urban strife, his raw creative vision is an indication of Burton’s subversive, personal approach to men's tailoring that will be highlighted in her debut collection. The classic glen check suit McCullin wears is paired with a bold tie covered with blue tulips, reflecting the unique ability he and Burton share to craft timeless yet evocative works of art. The styling of the collection, which debuts on June 25th, is sure to feature the refined tailoring Givenchy is known for while incorporating Burton’s own whimsical artistic vision.

The collection continues with its classic silhouettes and double breasted jackets in the images of DJ and Filmmaker Don Letts. Letts, who originally garnered fame for his unconventional collision of Reggae and Punk, stands tall in a classically Burton piece, wearing a golden long line coat covered with painted chrysanthemums and lily of the valley. His second look highlights the collection's fine tailoring, a double breasted light gray suit, reminiscent of an old Hollywood star, dressed down with a t-shirt and gold chain. Like Burton’s approach to her designs it is both timeless and daring, each image a contrasting composition in itself, a floral coat in a minimalist studio and a suit with clean lines photographed in a wild garden. Amplifying contrasts is a key theme throughout the collection, bringing together opposing ideas to create harmonic visuals. 

The bohemian influences throughout Burton’s work align with that of Painter Danny Fox, the final subject of the photo series. His vivid, almost unkempt canvases highlighting fragmented and intertwined bodies have earned him exhibitions from Los Angeles to Copenhagen. Fox is pictured in a bright yellow overcoat, reminiscent of a raincoat, mirroring his roots in Cornwall as well as the subjects of his artistic works. The youngest of the billboard’s subjects, this youthful design highlights the natural influences that subvert traditional menswear collections. Fox swaps the overcoat for an open, deconstructed blazer with lapels that fall inwards in his second look. This departure from the clean, structured lines of the previous looks leaves a sense of disruption that clues into what might be next for Burton and her menswear line. 

None of these artists shy away from the subversive or uncomfortable in their works, rather unflinchingly highlighting it. As Sarah Burton gets ready to display her debut menswear line as creative director for Givenchy, these Parisian billboards offer a look into the direction she will be taking Givenchy in her tenure with the brand. 

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