Fashion designer Alber Elbaz has died
In this article (5)
Alber Elbaz, the fashion designer whose audacious designs transformed the storied French house Lanvin into an industry darling before his shock ouster in 2015, has died aged 59, the Richemont luxury group said Sunday.
“It was with shock and enormous sadness that I heard of Alber’s sudden passing,” Richemont chairman Johann Rupert said in a statement. No cause of death was given.
The veteran fashion journalist Suzy Menkes, citing Rupert in an Instagram post, said Elbaz “has left this world after a three-week struggle with Covid”.
A company spokeswoman confirmed Elbaz had died from Covid on Saturday, but would not confirm reports he was being treated at the American Hospital in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine.
Elbaz, an Israeli born in Morocco (as Albert), restored the luster to Lanvin during his 14 years at the helm of France’s oldest couture brand, giving classic tailoring a more playful edge.
Hollywood stars including Cate Blanchett and Sienna Miller were devotees, in particular of his svelt black cocktail dresses, and the house flourished financially during his tenure.
“Women are more independent, more daring,” he told L’Express magazine in 2008.
“A dress has to accompany them. They want to move with it, live with it. Movement is essential for me — it’s life.”
‘True pioneer’
Instantly recognizable with his oversize round glasses and his penchant for bow ties, Elbaz also earned fans an affable and ebullient demeanor that set him apart in an industry known for prickly personalities.
After beginning his career with the American designer Geoffrey Beene in New York, he took over at Guy Laroche in 1996 before joining Yves Saint Laurent in 1998 to design ready-to-wear collections for the French master.
In 2001 he was hired by Lanvin shortly after its acquisition by a group of investors led by the Chinese billionaire Shaw-Lan Wang.
Under his guidance, the storied brand refound its lost glamour and Elbaz himself became one of the fashion world’s most respected figures.
“has left this world after a three-week struggle with Covid”
He was also attuned to the lower ends of the market, collaborating with the Swedish fast-fashion giant H&M in 2010 for a hugely popular capsule collection.
“I always told myself I’d never do a collection for a mass retailer, but what finally intrigued me was the idea that H&M was embracing luxury, rather than having Lanvin adapt itself to mass retailing… and without losing its soul,” Elbaz said at the time.
“He was one of the most creative, funniest men in fashion, and a true pioneer in the industry,” Edward Enninful, editor-in-chief of British Vogue, said on Instagram.
“He was also one of the most talented designers I’ve ever worked with — even though he always preferred to call himself ‘a dressmaker’.”
So it was all the more shocking when Elbaz was unceremoniously fired as Lanvin’s creative director in October 2015, reportedly after a clash with Wang.
Elbaz never joined another fashion house afterward but formed a series of partnerships, including with the Swiss-based conglomerate Richemont in 2019.
Lanvin, for its part, reported its first annual loss in a decade following his departure and has since cycled through a series of creative directors.
“Alber had a richly deserved reputation as one of the industry’s brightest and most beloved figures,” Richemont’s Rupert said.
“His inclusive vision of fashion made women feel beautiful and comfortable by blending traditional craftsmanship with technology — highly innovative projects which sought to redefine the industry.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said the designer had “made French elegance shine around the world”.
“He extended and enriched the line of designers who forged the legend of French elegance,” Macron said in a statement.
Questions & Answers
Q.What is reported to be the cause of Alber Elbaz's death?
What is reported to be the cause of Alber Elbaz's death?
Veteran fashion journalist Suzy Menkes, citing Richemont chairman Johann Rupert, stated Elbaz died after a three-week struggle with Covid. A company spokeswoman later confirmed he died from Covid on Saturday.
Q.Which luxury fashion house did Alber Elbaz transform during his career?
Which luxury fashion house did Alber Elbaz transform during his career?
Alber Elbaz transformed the French house Lanvin, where he served for 14 years. He restored its prestige and made it an industry darling before his sudden departure in 2015.
Q.What was the designer's approach to creating clothes for women?
What was the designer's approach to creating clothes for women?
Elbaz believed dresses should accompany women, allowing them to move and live. He felt movement was essential, aiming to make women feel beautiful and comfortable by blending traditional craftsmanship with technology.
Q.Why did Alber Elbaz leave Lanvin in 2015?
Why did Alber Elbaz leave Lanvin in 2015?
Elbaz was reportedly fired as Lanvin's creative director in October 2015, following a clash with the company's owner, Chinese billionaire Shaw-Lan Wang.
Reader pulse
What does Elbaz’s passing mean for luxury retail?
24,092 votes so far