Now that we know Matthew Williams will be heading the design studio of Givenchy, it’s not unreasonable to assume that the brand’s accessory business will be given a massive boost

Alyx leather chest rig. Photo: 1017 Alyx 9SM

The news that Matthew Williams will be installed at Givenchy was received with surprise and nonchalance. Before that is explored, the burning question is, will we be seeing Givenchy chest rigs?

Prior to Virgil Abloh’s assorted holsters for Louis Vuitton (early 2017), there was one bag worn close to the body that true street-style aficionados adopted with such fervour, it positioned its American creator Matthew Williams on the path of success that, this week, culminated in the Givenchy appointment, making him the second designer from the US to lead French maisons owned by parent company LVMH.

Not so long ago, Mr Williams, was not widely known, except his “luxury streetwear” brand 1017 Alyx 9SM. Fashion insiders know of his work for Lady Gaga and Kanye West (thought to be his mentor) and Virgil Abloh, but those with a weakness for expensive T-shirts and accessories inspired by utility gear and military wear, took a shine to Alyx, as it is mostly known.

The chest rig, probably last seen in the ’70s television series S.W.A.T. (or the 2017 remake), made such an unlikely impact on the accessories/bag market that suddenly many across high-low price points started to appear. Even Mr Williams began doing versions for Moncler on one end, and Nike on the other. In time, the chest rig was such a thing, it spawn the trend of oversized pouch pockets on the centre-front of shirts and T-shirts.

The belt buckle that became highly covetable. Photo: 1017 Alyx 9SM

The chest rig, still often sold out, isn’t the only accessory associated with Mr Williams. There is that buckle inspired by those used on roller-coaster safety belts. His version—secure-looking and unmistakable—has become such a signature of the Alyx brand and so admired that a variation of it was introduced at Kim Jones’s Dior debut—a much-lauded collaboration between the two men. The belt buckle would appear not just on ceintures, but also on bags, in particular the Saddle, then introduced for guys. The Alyx buckle, in the mean time, was widely imitated, from London to Tokyo.

It is, therefore, unsurprising that Givenchy would offer Mr Williams the creative director position. Reports had suggested that his predecessor Clare Waight Keller was not able to create the kind of sales behemoth LVMH was hoping and waiting to see. It is known that accessories are vital to a brand’s must-be-staggering profits, and Ms Keller, in the three years with the house, had not produced one that could be remembered, that could delight the tills. Mr Williams might just be the guy to excite LVMH’s CFO.

Interestingly, Matthew William’s debut collection in 2015 was womenswear. It is mostly now forgotten, as his accessories and subsequent men’s line eventually overshadowed the former. It is not certain if Givenchy chose him because of his flair with accessories or because he could give their ready-to-wear a new spin (for now, let’s not wonder what’s going to happen to the haute couture). If, as we’re led to believe by LVMH’s own Virgil Abloh, street wear is dead (or will die), what is Givenchy doing aligning themselves with a street wear designer, even one this well regarded? Perhaps, having made Mr Abloh king, LVMH cannot afford to let street style meet its predicted demise.