The fashion world is in mourning today as we lost one of the industry’s most distinctive designers, a powerhouse of the fashion industry, Alber Elbaz. Luxury fashion company Richemont confirmed the sad news on Sunday and it came as a shock for everyone in the industry. A victim of the pandemic, the designer succumbed to COVID-19 at the age of 59.
Designers such as Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli and Stella McCartney mourned the loss of the designer.
Kim Kardashian, Lily Collins, Sarah Jessica Parker, Katie Holmes, Giambattista Valli and Elizabeth Stewart also shared heartfelt tributes for the designer.
Elbaz has had one of the most successful fashion careers. From 1996-98, he worked with the French fashion house Guy Laroche. He went on to further work as the creative director for Yves Saint Laurent. It was his unique sense of style and incorporating different techniques, structures, and constructions that left people awestruck and earned him his fame.
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Elbaz is best remembered for reviving French fashion house Lanvin as their creative director from 2001 to 2015. With his creative designs, it was a step out from the quintessential styles of fashion. He upped the fashion game by updating the traditional use of luxe materials and silhouettes with various kinds of raw edges, loose threads, and cloth to add more ease and comfort to his styles. Some of his most iconic styles include the chunky zippers and pairing dresses with sneakers. Stars such as Beyoncé, Lupita Nyong’o, and Michelle Obama are some of the many who have represented Lanvin during his time there.
A true game-changer, Elbaz started his own fashion line with Richemont, AZ Factory, which focused on the need of women rather than what would look good. A strong advocate of comfort, the designer has always spoken freely about the need to make women’s fashion more about their needs and requirements instead of the way it looks in pictures.
May his soul rest in peace!
