Israeli designer Alber Elbaz died from COVID-19. His legacy in the industry had an immense influence as he led the Lanvin firm and found the AZ Factory.
In April we woke up to sad news that took us by surprise. Alber Elbaz had lost the fight against COVID-19 at 59 years old.
Of Israeli origin born in Casablanca, Morocco, Elbaz was a favorite to wear on the red carpets. We remember the crystal jumpsuit that Emma Stone wore, Nicole Kidman’s long dress in raspberry tones, or the green and black combination of Kim Kardashian during the Met Gala in 2014.
He was in charge of the French firm Lanvin for 14 years, from where he suddenly left in 2015. His name began to sound strong when he took the reins of Yves Saint Laurent in 1998, to create the ready-to-wear collections, personally selected by the mythical Pierre Bergé, Yves’ partner. Raised in a humble family, he was born in Morocco under the name of Albert, with an enormous influence from his mother who was a painter, and from his father, a hairdresser by profession. The Elbaz moved to Israel, where he trained and studied at the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design.
He emigrated to the US at age 25 to develop his career and was discovered by Geoffrey Beene, who trained him as his design assistant, but it was Paris that captivated him to grow his legacy.
The industry remembered him as one of the great designers. He was awarded as the honorary doctorate of the Royal College of Art in London, with the International Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2005, named Most Influential Person by Time magazine in 2007 or the award of the French Legion of Honor in 2016.
In front of Lanvin, the Israeli modernized the French firm and will be remembered for it, as the centennial brand evolved to a more glamorous style, and one of the most outstanding of the Paris fashion week. Applauded for his strong silhouettes, the use of textures, ruffles, leathers and sequins, and exclusive hardware. Elbaz was undoubtedly a very positive influence on fashion history.
- His first fashion drawings were at the age of seven.
- He was characterized by his good humor, positive and friendly attitude.
- In January the designer launched his new signature AZ Factory.
Amelia Warner
Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.
