Alber Elbaz: Fashion Designer Dies In Paris Aged 59

Elbaz, who died of Covid-19 at the age of 59, spent over three decades at the center of the fashion industry, riding both its highs and lows as he changed the fortunes of the dormant Lanvin house before being abruptly dropped in 2015.

Alber Elbaz was a fashion designer from Israel. After working at a host of other fashion houses, including Geoffrey Be

ene, Guy Laroche, and Yves Saint Laurent, he was the artistic director of Lanvin in Paris from 2001 to 2015. In 2019, he launched the Richemont-backed label AZ Factory.

He announced the launch of his latest label, AZ Fashion, in January 2021, much to the surprise of many. Many celebrity fans were drawn to the size-inclusive label, which produced figure-flattering dresses and trainers.

Elbaz, who was born in Morocco and raised in Israel, began his modeling career in New York, where he worked for designer Geoffrey Beene. He moved to Paris in 1996 to take over the reins at Guy Laroche. He was chosen by Yves St-Laurent to take over responsibility for the Rive Gauche brand, but he was fired after Gucci bought the company in 1999.

Hollywood actors, including Natalie Portman, favored his gowns. When Meryl Streep accepted the Oscar for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady in 2012, she wore one of his gold lamé gowns.

"Alber's Lanvin dresses are the only ones that make me feel like myself, or even a better version of myself," said Streep in 2015.

“Alber dressed me for my first Vogue cover and blessed me with the cover dress to hang on to the memory forever,” Kim Kardashian wrote. “He often left little notes inside boxes... [he] was cherished and brought joy to every occasion,” Sarah Jessica Parker wrote alongside a picture of the keepsakes she got from the designer.

Written by Adena Gordon (@adenaxstudio)