Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci is skipping the Haute Couture catwalk.

Instead of staging an elaborate presentation for the house's collection during the showing of the Haute Couture in Paris from July 5 through July 8, Tisci will do individual appointments.

What's more, the "collection" will be a mere 10 looks instead of the 30 or so that usually make up a collection and runway presentation. The designer will show the scaled-down offerings from a townhouse at the Place Vendome.

"This, and future collections will be presented as a mise-en-scène installation, off the runway," the company said in an emailed statement. "This change in setting creates a more refined and intimate atmosphere and best showcases the uniquely modern vision of Riccardo Tisci and the exceptional craftsmanship of the Givenchy ateliers."

Surprisingly, this is not a cost-cutting measure. Tisci and Pierre-Yves Roussel, chief executive officer of LVMH Moët Hennessy, Louis Vuitton's fashion division and parent to Givenchy, told WWD all that he's doing – with the models, look book, and townhouse – will cost 35 percent more than a runway show.

We don't buy it (literally and figuratively).

The Haute Couture shows are held twice each year, primarily for a designer's private customers and secondarily for the media. Haute Couture clothing is made to the exact measurements of the buyer and is adjusted several times by first making the design in muslin and then fitting the final garment.

The number of design houses able to afford this very expensive business is dwindling. In fact, the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture has added one day to Haute Couture "week" (three days, really) to allow several jewelry makers to show complementary pieces.

Yet, Givenchy insists its Couture business is a primary focus. "At Givenchy, Haute Couture has, and always will be, of paramount importance as it exemplifies the highest and purest expression of the brand. Haute Couture functions as a laboratory for artistic director Riccardo Tisci's concepts which are continuously explored and developed into themes for future collections that push the boundaries of fashion season after season," the company said in its statement.