Atlas of Fashion Designers

19

Alber Elbaz (Lanvin)

Alber Elbaz (Lanvin)

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At the age of twenty-fi ve and with 800 euros in his pocket, Alber Elbaz packs his bags and

sets off to New York to seek his fortune. In 2007, he appears in Time magazine as one of

the 100 most infl uential people in the world. So far, there’s nothing so odd about this: the

typical story of a hardened man who’s had enough, drops everything in pursuit of a dream

and attains it. What is not common about it, however, is that Alber is one of the most

beloved professionals in the fi eld of fashion. His earns elicit swarms of praise not only for

his creations but for the designer himself.  e creative passion he invests in his garments is

also shared with his admirers and the people he works with.

He began his career with a small fashion company. Later, he came into contact with Geof-

frey Beane, who taught him the rules of tailoring which would make him the refi ned

and meticulous designer he is today. In 1997, he began working with Guy Laroche and

subsequently worked with Yves Saint Laurent on the design of his pret-a-porter collection,

a project in which demonstrated the depth of his dedication and aff ection in spectacu-

larly realized work. Some time after, Alber distanced himself from the project, in what he

himself has described as an emotionally traumatic separation, given that it involved the

splitting up of a group, of a family. He then moved on to Lanvin. Entering this company

was, for him, the equivalent of inheriting a noble title, an arrival to an established institu-

tion where he has not only found a home, but has elevated the legendary house to an even

higher place in the fashion fi rmament. All of this is the result of lavish self-expression in

the form of unrepentant volumes and pleats and garments sculpted by the air. An artist in a

joyful reencounter with his universe. Alber Elbaz: a designer whose creations are as moving

as the man himself.

Photography by David Sims

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Alber Elbaz (Lanvin)

© Lanvin

21

Alber Elbaz (Lanvin)

With characteristic mastery, Alber

Elbaz off ered a Spring/Summer 2008-

2009 collection charged with color,

fl uid textures and spherical forms. In

these images, we fi nd two cocktail

dresses in electric colors of brilliant

satin.

© Lanvin

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Alber Elbaz (Lanvin)

- What inspires you?

Everything inspires me: light, emotions, my neighbors…

- What is your dream as a designer?

Having more time. I would like to push back the limits of each day.

- What has been the most important achievement of your career?

My wedding day with Lanvin in 2001.

- How important are trends?

My philosophy aims to make women beautiful, no matter the trends.

- Fashion has always refl ected a certain era. What does fashion refl ect in the twenty-fi rst century?

It refl ects a time of technique and technology, where we use the past in a modern way.

- What book would you recommend to every fashion designer?

Lanvin book by Rizzoli Publications, or the work of Jeanne Lanvin revealed in broad daylight.

Alber Elbaz (Lanvin)

15, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré

75008 Paris

France

www.lanvin.com

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Alber Elbaz (Lanvin)

© Lanvin