Alber Elbaz, the fashion designer whose audacious designs transformed the storied French house Lanvin into an industry darling before his shock ouster in 2015, has died aged 59, the Richemont luxury group said Sunday.
“It was with shock and enormous sadness that I heard of Alber’s sudden passing,” Richemont chairman Johann Rupert said in a statement. No cause of death was given.
Elbaz, an Israeli born in Morocco, restored the luster to Lanvin during his 14 years at the helm of France’s oldest couture brand, giving classic tailoring a more playful edge.
He also earned fans with an affable demeanor that set him apart in an industry known for prickly personalities.
But he was un…
Keep on reading: Fashion designer Alber Elbaz, ex-Lanvin director, dies