James de Givenchy

Interiors & Design Programming

New York based high-jewelry house, TAFFIN, has become recognized globally over the past 20 years for its boundary-breaking designs and use of unexpected materials. In 1996, James de Givenchy established TAFFIN’s private Manhattan salon, creating one of a kind high-jewelry pieces.

Raised in Beauvais, a small town north of Paris, Givenchy was drawn to the energetic diversity of New York City. After noteworthy tenures at the most prestigious auction houses and jewelry companies, Taffin was established as a New York salon to work with private clients on special commissions in 1996. Givenchy later designed and opened the Madison Avenue headquarters of Taffin, located in the same building that houses his atelier, to showcase the now extensive couture collection. 

Givenchy is globally recognized for his sculptural designs that highlight the individuality of each gem stone, while inventively pairing them with unexpected materials including rubber, steel, wood and ceramic, which he pioneered the use of in 2006.  

Attracted to the beauty of imperfection, Givenchy’s contemporary designs embrace the unusual, utilizing rare stones to create one-of-a-kind pieces. Inspired by the work of storied French and American jewelry houses, Givenchy’s innovative designs reflect his appreciation for quality craftsmanship, the deep cultural history of high-jewelry, and the importance of creating works of art that can be worn every day. 

 “I look for the magical, the right proportions, and I don’t find perfection attractive. In personalities, I’m not attracted to flawless either. I look for charm,” says Givenchy. “Jewelry is an object that projects who you are. It takes artistry, intellect and logic to make it.” 

While discerning about expanding Taffin collections, Givenchy has created a modern Retro Style timepiece for women, named and inspired by the birth of his daughter Stella, and a watch for men which evokes the sensuous lines of a vintage sports car. His creative interests extend to elevated scents and fragrance. In 2011, Taffin partnered with Barneys New York to launch a capsule Taffin Home Fragrance collection of artfully handcrafted scented candles which are made in France and presented in Bakelite containers designed by Givenchy. 

Givenchy later marked the 20th anniversary of Taffin with the publication of “Taffin: The Jewelry of James de Givenchy” by Rizzoli in the fall of 2016. The 400 page tome that walks through two decades of Taffin’s journey instantly became a best seller and is now in its second printing.