Israeli fashion designer Alber Elbaz dies aged 59
25 April 2021, 18:24
Elbaz was best known for being at the helm of Lanvin from 2001 to 2015.
Israeli designer Alber Elbaz, best known for spending 14 years at the helm of France’s Lanvin fashion house, has died at the age of 59, luxury conglomerate Richemont said.
A spokesperson for Richemont told CNN that Elbaz died on Saturday from Covid-19.
In a statement, Richemont’s chairman Johann Rupert said “it was with shock and enormous sadness that I heard of Alber’s sudden passing”.
He said: “Alber had a richly deserved reputation as one of the industry’s brightest and most beloved figures.”
Mr Rupert added: “I was always taken by his intelligence, sensitivity, generosity and unbridled creativity.
“He was a man of exceptional warmth and talent, and his singular vision, sense of beauty and empathy leave an indelible impression.”
The Richemont group paid tribute to Elbaz’s “inclusive vision of fashion” that “made women feel beautiful and comfortable by blending traditional craftsmanship with technology”.
Elbaz started to work in collaboration with Richemont in 2019 with the aim of launching his own label, AZfashion.
Born in Morocco in 1961, Elbaz grew up in Israel before moving to New York in the 1980s.
He first became known to the public when he was named at the helm of French house Guy Laroche in Paris in 1996.
In 1998, he became creative director at Yves Saint Laurent.
He was credited with reviving French house Lanvin during his long stint there from 2001 to 2015.
Women’s Wear Daily said Elbaz died at a hospital in Paris.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo tweeted her “great sadness” at the news, saying Elbaz was “a talented, generous man. He loved Paris so much and will be missed”.
