Hubert de Givenchy

Hubert James Marcel Taffin de Givenchy was born into an aristocratic Protestant family in Beauvais, France. His father was the Marquis of Givenchy, and his mother was a descendant of artists, including the stage designer and painter Pierre-Adrien Pâris. Clearly, good taste and fine lineage were in his blood, though perhaps not the kind that would earn him a spot in the synagogue's weekly newsletter.

After studying at the École des Beaux-Arts, Givenchy worked for Jacques Fath, Robert Piguet, and Elsa Schiaparelli before opening his own fashion house in 1952. His elegant, timeless designs quickly captured the attention of Hollywood and high society, most notably his muse Audrey Hepburn, for whom he created iconic looks in films like