Fashion designer Alber Elbaz dies from Covid-19
- The Moroccan-born Israeli was credited with reviving French fashion house Lanvin before he was unceremoniously fired as creative director in 2015
- Hollywood stars including Cate Blanchett and Sienna Miller were devotees of his black cocktail dresses and playful designs
Alber Elbaz, the fashion designer whose playful designs transformed the storied French house Lanvin into an industry darling before his shock ouster in 2015, has died aged 59 after a battle with Covid-19, the Richemont luxury group said on Sunday.
“It was with shock and enormous sadness that I heard of Alber’s sudden passing,” Richemont chairman Johann Rupert said in a statement.
The veteran fashion journalist Suzy Menkes, citing Rupert in an Instagram post, said Elbaz “has left this world after a three-week struggle with Covid”.
A company spokeswoman confirmed Elbaz had died from Covid-19 on Saturday, but would not confirm reports he was being treated at the American Hospital in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine.
Elbaz, an Israeli born in Morocco (as Albert), restored the lustre to Lanvin during his 14 years at the helm of France’s oldest couture brand, giving classic tailoring a more playful edge.