ISEM FashionBusiness School and the Museo-Thyssen Bornemisza organized the conference "The spirit of Givenchy", in which several experts reviewed the artistic career of the designer from different perspectives around his figure.

The event, which was attended by more than 70 participants, was inaugurated by Guillermo Solana, artistic director of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, and Teresa Sádaba, director of ISEM Fashion Business School. Both agreed on the importance of Givenchy's legacy and "the need for training sessions related to art, culture and fashion".

The first session was given by Amalia Desclazo, professor of Culture and Fashion at ISEM and in charge of directing the day. During her talk, she made a tour from haute couture to ready-to-wear, reviewing the history of the designer and other fashion masters such as Worth, Paul Poiret, Schiaparelli or Christian Dior. He also spoke about the professional relationship between Givenchy and Balenciaga. 

The second conference was given by Lourdes Cerrillo, professor of Art History at the University of Valladolid. In her speech, entitled 'Hubert de Givenchy and the heroism of modern life: le succès de la petite robe noire', she explained the concept of modernity and its influence on the designer, for whom "modernity was in the color black". He also recalled some of the artist's quotes, such as the following: "The secret of elegance is to look like yourself".

Igor Uría, chief curator of the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum, then gave the session 'Fabrics: The scent of silk', in which he spoke about the use of different materials in Givenchy's designs, who showed "a marked preference for silk", in his words.

To end the morning, Lola Gavarrón, writer and journalist, introduced the public to the world of perfume and presented Givenchy's muses.

In the afternoon, Mariam Vizcaino, professor at the Villanueva University Center, focused on the films starring Audrey Hepburn in which she was dressed by Givenchy. She pointed out that "the designer found in the actress the embodiment of his ideal of perfection".

Afterwards, Juan de Dios Orozco, director of Protocollum, explained to the attendees some dress codes. "It is important to understand protocol as a set of rules that facilitate human relations," he said.

The day closed with a round table moderated by Eloy Martínez de la Pera, curator of the Hubert de Givenchy exhibition. The participants, who discussed fashion in museums, were Guillermo Solana, artistic director of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum; Miguel López-Remiro, professor of Art and Creativity at ISEM; Rodrigo de la Fuente, deputy director of the Museo del Traje; Miguel Ángel Recio, director general of Fine Arts, Cultural Heritage and Archives and Libraries; Lorenzo Caprile, fashion designer; and Paula Luengo, curator of exhibitions at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.

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