Alber Elbaz: journey of the creator, from Lanvin to AZ Factory

The creator Alber Elbaz died on April 24, 2021 from the consequences of Covid-19. A look back at the couturier's career.

Praised for his talent, his generosity, his extravagance and his kindness, the creator Alber Elbaz disappeared on April 24, 2021. Since then, the tributes have multiplied. Posthumous collections, parade, exhibition...

When will the Love Brings Love exhibition take place at the Palais Galliera?

Love Brings Love. What was the name of the tribute show to designer Alber Elbaz becomes a unique exhibition at the Palais Galliera. From March 5 to July 10, 2022, the Parisian museum will present the collection in which 46 big names in fashion have participated. So many silhouettes unveiled to handpicked guests during Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2022 in Paris. This exhibition at the Palais Galliera will be an opportunity to recreate almost identically the atmosphere of this exceptional show. In the galleries, the plastic models will be arranged in the same order as those who paraded in the flesh on October 5, 2021. The music, lighting and effects will also be the same as those of the show. One way to make this fashion event accessible to everyone and to salute the genius of Alber Elbaz one last time.

Why was Love Brings Love an event tribute fashion show?

In 1945 in Paris was held "Le Théâtre de la mode". This post-war exhibition was intended to show the bonds of fraternity and love that united the couturiers of the time. Fascinated by this story, Alber Elbaz had plans to reproduce the event with his contemporaries and thus pay tribute to all their predecessors. Died on April 24, 2021, the former artistic director of Lanvin was never able to see his wish come true. The Israeli-American designer, who left his mark on his era and his milieu with his fantasy, his virtuosity, his generosity as well as his love of fashion, inspired his peers. At the invitation of AZ Factory, the brand that Alber Elbaz initiated in January 2020, 46 designers proposed a silhouette in honor of the couturier during an extraordinary fashion show which took place on October 5 at the Carreau du Temple at the end of Spring-Summer 2022 Fashion Week. Demna Gvasalia, Virgil Abloh, Nicolas Ghesquière, Donatella Versace, Raf Simons, Thebe Magugu, Vivienne Westwood, Glenn Martens, Jean Paul Gaultier, Alessandro Michele... They all took part in this event show entitled Love brings Love broadcast live on the Instagram account and the AZ Factory website. A celebration that was intended to "pay tribute to Alber's creative vision and his extraordinary love for the fashion family" in the words of the brand in a press release. "Tonight's tribute to our dear Alber was a magical moment. Talents that celebrate a talent is a remarkable way to honor a man we all loved so much" also declared Laurent Malecaze, CEO of AZ Factory after the parade.

What is the legacy left by Alber Elbaz?

The label also wanted to release the last projects that the creator had completed a few weeks before his death. "The world has lost a legend and the AZ Factory team has lost a dear friend with the sudden death of Alber, wrote Laurent Malecaze, general manager of the brand, in early June. We are launching with humility and emotion the last two projects he had finalized with the team. In the coming months, we will come together to honor Alber by celebrating his life and his vision for the work, hoping to bring to it the same passion and love that he brought to us every day." The first coins were presented on June 12, 2021, the date which would have marked the sixtieth birthday of Alber Elbaz.

The first launch, titled, "SuperTech-SuperChic" featured clothing that combined fashion and technology. Using an eco-dyed microfiber nylon, the pieces are representative of the "athletic couture" dear to the label, with in particular innovative 3D weaving techniques. At the same time, a bag, the brand's first, was unveiled. The model is worn over the shoulder, on the shoulder, in the hand or even at the waist: a way to have your hands free to be able to "cuddle" as we explain. Then, a second launch, "Free To", took place a few weeks later. This is the designer's latest project. There are sweatshirts, tops and jogging pants reworked in a 100% Elbaz style. Part of the profits from this collection are donated to It Gets Better, an initiative that supports young LGBTQ+ people, a cause dear to the former artistic director of the Lanvin house. Enough to allow the brand to show that it wishes to remain faithful to the spirit of its creator. After his eviction from Lanvin several years relatively far from the cameras, Alber Elbaz joined forces in 2019 with the luxury group Richemont to launch this label. The first AZ Factory collection was presented in January 2021 during Haute Couture Fashion Week.

Why did Alber Elbaz's death come as a shock to the fashion world?

On April 24, 2021, the fashion world was in mourning: the Covid-19 had taken away one of its biggest names, who was only 59 years old. Alber Elbaz, an Israeli-American designer who had a profound impact on fashion at the start of the century, has passed away. It was the Richemont group, which announced the sad news in a press release, first without mentioning the disease, then confirming it in a second step. "It is in shock and with enormous sadness that I learned of the sudden passing of Alber, writes Johann Rupert, president of the group. Alber had the deserved reputation of being one of the most beloved and brilliant figures of the industry. (...) He was a man of incredible warmth and great talent, his singular vision, his sense of beauty and empathy will leave an indelible mark."

Suzy Menkes, a big name in the fashion media (Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, International Herald Tribune...), paid tribute to him on her Instagram account: "Alber Elbaz, this stylist so witty, shrewd and whimsical, who put the women in the foreground, left this world after a three-week fight against the Covid. (...) My condolences to the family of Alber, as well as to his companion Alex Koo."

Born June 12, 1961 in Casablanca, Morocco, Alber Elbaz grew up in Tel Aviv. After studying fashion in Israel, he left to work in New York. In the mid-1990s, he became known to the general public when he was appointed artistic director of the French brand Guy Laroche. Then, it was Pierre Bergé himself who put him in charge of creating the collections for the Yves Saint Laurent women's ready-to-wear line, until the latter was bought by the Gucci group. In 2001, he was appointed artistic director of Lanvin, where he cemented his popularity and his impact on the industry.

What is the link between Lanvin and Alber Elbaz?

Under the aegis of the creator, Lanvin is reborn from its ashes. Alber Elbaz celebrates femininity and sophistication, the house's DNA, by adding his poetry and sometimes even a touch of humour. In 2005, the Council of American Fashion Designers gave him the International Fashion Award. The following year, he was named Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. His shows are unanimously acclaimed, becoming highlights of Parisian fashion weeks. Critical success is accompanied by commercial success, soaring the number of points of sale but also the turnover of the venerable French fashion house. In 2010, he orchestrated a capsule collection between Lanvin and the Swedish giant H&M.

In 2015, a dispute with the Taiwanese owner and director of the brand, Shaw-Lan Wang, signaled the end of the Elbaz success story at Lanvin, leaving the industry reeling from this sudden eviction. Many employees are protesting against this decision. The creator is awaiting legal action and will be paid compensation of several million euros. After several years relatively far from the cameras, Alber Elbaz joins forces with the luxury group Richemont to launch his own brand in 2019. In January 2021, during Haute Couture Fashion Week, he presents AZ Factory, his new label, for the greatest joy of the fashion world that the man will have marked, forever.

ExhibitionTribute paradePosthumous collectionsDisappearance of the designerLanvinPraised for his talent, his generosity, his extravagance and his kindness, the designer Alber Elbaz disappeared on April 24, 2021. Since the...

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