Jean-Claude de Givenchy explained

Honorific Prefix:	Marquess
Jean Claude Taffin de Givenchy
Birth Name:	Jean Claude Jacques Robert Taffin de Givenchy
Birth Date:	5 May 1925
Birth Place:	Beauvais, France
Death Place:	Cannes, France
Resting Place:	Passy Cemetery
Known For:	Owning and leading Parfums Givenchy
Spouses:
Children:	7
Relatives:	Hubert de Givenchy (brother)

Jean-Claude Jacques Robert Taffin de Givenchy (May 5, 1925 – May 18, 2009) was a French aristocrat, businessman, perfumer and owner of Parfums Givenchy.

Early life

De Givenchy was born May 5, 1925, in Beauvais, France, the eldest son of Lucien Taffin de Givenchy, Marquis of Givenchy (1888–1930) and his wife Béatrice "Sissi" (née Badin; 1888–1976). He was raised alongside his younger brother, later fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy (1927–2018). The family originally hailed from Venice, Italy, the original spelling of the family name being Taffini turned later, landing in France, in Taffin. The family was ennobled in 1713 at which they became Marquis of Givenchy and started carrying the name de Givenchy. When he was barely five years of age, he lost his father to influenza. From then on he and his brother were brought up by his mother and maternal grandmother in Beauvais, France. His maternal grandfather Jules Badin (1843–1919) was the owner and director of the historic Gobelins Manufactory and Beauvais tapestry factories.^[1]

Career

Jean-Claude, as the elder of the brothers, inherited the family's marquessate at the death of their father.^{[2] [3]}

He started his career as an executive for Air France in New York City, but upon request in 1952 of his brother Hubert he returned to Beauvais to manage the Parfums Givenchy, which he later owned and was sold to Bernard Arnault's LVMH alongside the Givenchy fashion house.^[4]

Personal life

De Givenchy was married privately to American-born Patricia Marie Myrick (1926–2012),^[5] daughter of an US Army colonel^[6] and relative of the future American fashion designer Sarah Staudinger.^[7] He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1951.^[8]

They had seven children:

• Richard Taffin de Givenchy (1948–2021),^[9] twin of Patrick.
• Patrick Taffin de Givenchy (born 1948), twin of Richard.
• Philippe Taffin de Givenchy (born 1952), formerly the owner of Atmosphere by Philippe de Givenchy, LLC, based in Greenwich, Connecticut.^{[10] [11]}
• Hubert Taffin de Givenchy (1954–2016), who married Hong Kong-born Parisian model Suzi de Givenchy.^[12] They had three sons.^[13]
• Béatrice Taffin de Givenchy (born 1956)
• James Taffin de Givenchy (born 1963), twin of Olivier,^[14] co-owner of the Château du Jonchet,^[15] who married American fashion designer Gina de Givenchy.^{[16] [17]} They have one daughter.^[18]
• Olivier Taffin de Givenchy (born 1963), twin of James, French-American financier and region head of JPMorgan Chase,^[19] co-owner of the Château du Jonchet, who married firstly Christine (née Paul; later Goulding),^[20] with whom he has one daughter and one son (including Gabriella de Mallmann),^[21] divorced and married secondly Melbourne-born wealth management consultant-turned-homeware entrepreneur^{[22] [23]} Zoë de Givenchy (née Couper), with whom he has another son.^[24]

After his divorce of his first wife, he married in 1979 in Broward, Florida,^[25] Ellen de Givenchy (née Ahr; formerly Funkhouser),^[26] of Concord, Massachusetts, a former teacher,^[27] with whom he had stepdaughter Elizabeth [Funkhouser de Givenchy] Soriano (née Funkhouser), and moved back to France where they settled in Chateauneuf-de-Grasse.^[28] Previously, he was a long-term resident of Greenwich, Connecticut.

Notes and References

1. Book: Beyfus, Drusilla . Vogue on Hubert de Givenchy . Abrams & Chronicle Books. October 6, 2015. 2022-12-11 . 9781613128213.
2. Book: Polan, Brenda. Tredre, Roger. The Great Fashion Designers: From Chanel to McQueen, the Names that Made Fashion History. 125. 9781350091610. Bloomsbury Publishing. January 9, 2020. 21 August 2023.
3. Web site: Hubert de Givenchy. Fondateur de Givenchy. Libre Service Actualités (LSA). fr. October 16, 2012 . 21 August 2023.
4. Web site: Weil . Jennifer . May 31, 2009 . Jean-Claude de Givenchy Dies at 84 . 2022-12-11 . Women's Wear Daily.
5. Web site: Jean-Claude TAFFIN de Givenchy . 2022-12-11 . Geneanet.
6. Book: Liaut, Jean-Noël. Hubert de Givenchy . fr. Grasset. 9782246579991. 2000. 21 August 2023.
7. Web site: Macon . Alexandra . June 16, 2022 . Inside Ari Emanuel and Sarah Staudinger's St. Tropez Wedding . 2023-08-21 . . en.
8. U.S. Naturalization Records, New York, 1865-1957
9. Web site: Avis de décès de Monsieur Richard TAFFIN DE GIVENCHY . 2022-12-11 . Libra Memoria.
10. Web site: business . 2024-01-02 . service.ct.gov.
11. Web site: RINFRET v. DE GIVENCHY, 2007 Ct. Sup. 14728 Casetext Search + Citator . 2024-01-02 . casetext.com.
12. Web site: Trochu. Eugénie. Une fille, un style : dans le magnifique appartement de Suzi de Givenchy à Paris. fr. Vogue France. July 12, 2022. 21 August 2023.
13. Web site: Cherry. Mui. Who is Suzi de Givenchy? The 55-year-old Hong Kong-born Parisian model is finding her own voice beyond fashion . Tatler Asia . January 11, 2023. 21 August 2023.
14. Web site: Middleton, William. The Unparalleled Elegance of Hubert de Givenchy. W. May 16, 2022. 21 August 2023.
15. Web site: Eric. Jansen. Esprit de famille. Les Échos. fr. February 2, 2022. 21 August 2023.
16. Web site: Marshall . Alex . 2021-11-08 . Tour Hubert de Givenchy's French Country Estate . 2022-12-11 . Town & Country Magazine.
17. Web site: Rosemary. Feitelberg. Gina de Givenchy Launches Geeg Specializing in Headwear for Women Fighting Disease. WWD. April 7, 2017. 21 August 2023.
18. Web site: Jewelry Designer James Taffin de Givenchy's Prized Possession: His Family History. Christina . Binkley . The Wall Street Journal. April 22, 2015. 21 August 2023.
19. Web site: Olivier de Givenchy on J.P. Morgan Private Bank . 2022-12-11 . privatebank.jpmorgan.com.
20. Web site: WEDDINGS: Christine Paul, O. J. Taffin de Givenchy. The New York Times. July 5, 1992. 21 August 2023.
21. Web site: Macon, Alexandra. Gabriella de Givenchy Wore Her Family's Haute Couture to Wed on the Cliffs of Capri. Vogue. September 30, 2021. 21 August 2023.
22. Web site: Carolyn. Asome. Zoë de Givenchy On Heritage And Home. Matches Fashion. February 2020. 21 August 2023.
23. News: Ellie. Pithers. Inside Zoë De Givenchy's Eclectic Coastal Home In Malibu . Vogue. July 26, 2023. 21 August 2023.
24. Web site: Marie-Eudes. Lauriot Prévost . Hubert de Givenchy collectionneur chez Christie's. fr. Point de vue. June 29, 2022. 21 August 2023.
25. Florida Marriage Index, 1927-2001
26. Web site: Carnet du Jour – Jean-Claude TAFFIN de GIVENCHY. . fr. May 29, 2009. 21 August 2023.
27. Web site: Elmer Funkhouser 3rd And Ellen Ahr Married. The New York Times. December 29, 1964. 22 August 2023.
28. Web site: June 13, 1999 . WEDDINGS: Ms. de Givenchy And Mr. Soriano . 11 December 2022 . The New York Times.