Alber Elbaz facts for kids

Alber Elbaz (Hebrew: אלבר אלבז; 12 June 1961 – 24 April 2021) was an Israeli fashion designer. He was known for his amazing work in the fashion world. From 2001 to 2015, he was the creative director for the famous fashion house Lanvin in Paris. Before that, he worked at other well-known places like Geoffrey Beene and Yves Saint Laurent. In 2019, he started his own fashion label called AZ Factory.

Early Life and Education

Alber Elbaz was born in Casablanca, Morocco. His family was Jewish. His mother, Algeria, was a painter, and his father, Meyer, was a hairdresser. When Alber was just eight months old, his family moved to Israel. He grew up in the city of Holon.

When Alber was a teenager, his father passed away. His mother worked hard as a cashier to support Alber and his three siblings. Alber later joined the Israel Defense Forces as a soldier. After his military service, he studied at the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design in Ramat Gan, Israel.

Alber's interest in fashion started early. He began drawing dresses when he was only seven years old. His mother encouraged him. In 1985, she gave him $800 to help him move to New York City to start his fashion career.

Fashion Career

When Alber arrived in New York, he first worked for a company that made wedding dresses. Then, for seven years, he learned a lot as a senior assistant to the designer Geoffrey Beene. In New York, he changed his first name from Albert to Alber. He felt this would help people pronounce his name correctly and make it sound better for a fashion brand.

From 1996 to 1998, Elbaz worked for the French fashion house Guy Laroche. He was in charge of their ready-to-wear (prêt-à-porter) collections. He moved to Paris in 1997 and quickly got good reviews from fashion critics.

Next, he became the creative director for Yves Saint Laurent in 1998. He was expected to take over when the famous designer retired. However, after three seasons, another company bought Yves Saint Laurent. Alber was let go in January 2000.

Working at Lanvin

In 2001, Alber Elbaz started designing for Lanvin. He stayed there for 14 years. During his time, he made Lanvin popular again. He was known for his "classic with a twist" style. He designed beautiful silk dresses and other feminine clothes. He often used bright colors or unique touches.

Women's Wear Daily, a fashion newspaper, said that his elegant and feminine designs made Lanvin a top fashion house in Paris. He also started a trend for fancy jewelry made with fabric-covered pearls. Alber's fun sketches, like lollipops or even his own face, became a special part of Lanvin's look.

His simple, feminine clothes were praised by fashion experts. In 2005, fashion writer Suzy Menkes said that Elbaz was "every woman's darling," including famous people like Nicole Kidman and Kate Moss. Lanvin's business grew a lot, with sales increasing by 60% in just two years.

While at Lanvin, Alber also worked with other brands.

• In 2008, he teamed up with Acne Studios for a denim collection called the Blue Collection.
• In 2010, he led Lanvin's project with H&M. They created a special line that included tulle dresses and sparkly necklaces.
• For Lanvin's 10th anniversary in 2012, Alber did something special. He chose ordinary people, like an 18-year-old musician and an 82-year-old retiree, to be in Lanvin's advertising campaign.

In October 2015, Alber Elbaz announced he was leaving Lanvin. This happened after some disagreements with the company's main owner.

After Lanvin

After leaving Lanvin, Alber continued to work on exciting projects.

• In 2016, he designed all the costumes for Natalie Portman in her film A Tale of Love and Darkness.
• He also worked with shoe company Converse and bag company LeSportsac.
• In 2016, he created a perfume called Superstitious with a famous perfumer.
• In 2019, he worked with Italian shoemaker Tod's to create bags and loafers.

Also in 2019, he partnered with a company called Richemont to create his own fashion line, AZ Factory. This brand was made to focus on "developing solutions for women of our times." AZ Factory officially launched in 2021. It was Alber's first time creating his own brand. He focused on comfortable, simple basics and special knitwear, which he called "switchwear."

Art and Graphics

Dress of the Year 2005

Alber Elbaz also had a strong artistic side.

• In 2006, he designed new packaging for Lanvin. He used a light blue color, which was his favorite. This color was inspired by a painting he saw.
• The shopping bags had a 1907 drawing of Lanvin and her daughter. The shoe boxes looked like old library files, tied with black ribbons. This made the products feel very special.
• Alber also drew illustrations for the song "Lady Jane" in singer Mika's music album Songs for Sorrow.
• In 2012, a book with 3,000 photographs of Alber's work for Lanvin was published.
• In 2015, Alber put together a photography exhibition in Paris called "Alber Elbaz/Lanvin: Manifeste." It showed over 350 photos, sketches, and design ideas from his time at Lanvin.

Personal Life

Alber Elbaz's life partner since about 1993 was Alex Koo, who was a director at Lanvin.

Alber often talked about how his own body shape influenced his designs. He explained that he designed clothes that were comfortable and didn't show too much. He believed that his personal experience helped him create clothes that made women feel good. He wanted his designs to bring a feeling of lightness and comfort.

Alber Elbaz passed away on April 24, 2021, at the age of 59. He died from COVID-19 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France.

Awards

• 2005 – International Award, Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)
• 2007 – Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur (a special French award)
• 2007 – Named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World
• 2014 – Received an Honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Art
• 2015 – Superstar Award, Fashion Group International (FGI)
• 2016 – Officer of the Légion d'Honneur

See Also

In Spanish: Alber Elbaz para niños