Man of the Week: Alber Elbaz

Alber Elbaz

Photo: Emanuele D’Angelo via Flickr

After 14 years at French fashion house, Lanvin, Alber Elbaz is out as creative director. The charismatic designer helped put the company back on the map, making it more modern and accessible through collaborations with the likes of H&M, while keeping beauty and luxury front and center. By all accounts, Elbaz was fun and energizing, with a dedication to fashion and a sense of humor that made him a pleasure to work with. Graceful, even in the face of his ouster, Elbaz released a statement regarding his exit:

“At this time of my departure from Lanvin on the decision of the company’s majority shareholder, I wish to express my gratitude and warm thoughts to all those who have worked with me passionately on the revival of Lanvin over the last 14 years; express my affection to all my wonderful colleagues in the Lanvin ateliers who accompanied me, and who enriched and supported my work. Together, we have met the creative challenge presented by Lanvin and have restored its radiance and have returned it to its rightful position among France’s absolute luxury fashion houses.”

The rumor is that Elbaz and the majority owner of Lanvin had disagreements about the direction of the company, which led to his ouster. So, where will Elbaz end up next? There’s speculation that he could end up filling the newly up-for-grabs post at Dior, as Raf Simons announced his departure just over a week ago.

A photo posted by Matteo Prandoni (@matteoprandoni) on

Regardless of where he ends up, Alber Elbaz will be remembered for revitalizing Lanvin, and chances are, we’ll be hearing more about his next move sooner than later. Read his full statement here.

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