Alber Elbaz was born to Jewish parents in Morocco in 1961. His parents immigrated to Israel when he was 10 years old. He trained at the Shenker School of fashion and textiles in Tel Aviv, Israel, from 1982 to 1986, after his military service. His parents wanted him to become a doctor however he moved to New York when he was 25 determined to break into the fashion business. He worked for a small fashion firm, for two years, but he was itching to draw a more aesthetically pleasing line. He took his portfolio to Dawn Mello, creative director of Gucci and she introduced him to designer Geoffrey Beene. In 1989, he joined Geoffrey Beene in New York. He remained there for 7 years.

Alber says :"I adored working with Geoffrey Beene. We talked the same language. He was 35 years in the business and always had his own vision. He was never trendy, I think that's beauty." Beene taught Alber the essential elements of drape and fit.

In 1997, he joined Guy Laroche in Paris. He was a bit afraid to change jobs after working so long with Beene, but felt it was now or never. Guy Laroche was an elegant, conservative French house with 15 boutiques and 70 licenses around the world. Alber wanted to update it without alienating it's clientele. He succeeded.

In 1998 he went to Yves St. Laurent to design their ready-to wear. Here again, he did a wonderful job. Yves himself wanted to relieve himself of the ready-to-wear line. He had full confidence in Alber Elbaz. But Gucci bought the YSL Rive Gauche ready-to-wear label and ousted Elbaz, bringing in Tom Ford.

Elbaz moved over to Krizia. After presenting a superb opening collection there, he ended his involvement after failing to agree to terms.

Lanvin is owned by Shaw-Lan Wang, from Taiwan and In October 2001, the house of Lanvin announced the appointment of Alber Elbaz as the new creative director. His first collection was Fall 2002.

Spring/Summer 2003

Elber Albaz presented Lanvin's Spring/Summer 2003 collection in Paris in October 2002 which was very well received. This is an outfit from that collection.

He beat the drum for Africa and produced a graceful collection of rugged linens, raw edges and proud heads.

Fall/Winter 2003 :

Alber presented the Fall collection for the house of Lanvin during Paris Fashion Week in March 2003.

On the right is an outfit from the collection which had a ladylike-meets-military theme. Elbaz pushed delicate classicism towards an inspiring new edge. He used extravagant materials - satin ribbon Chantilly lace, couture-grade silk, python skin and fur - and worked them alongside more modern exposed zippers and ribbed jersey.

Spring/Summer 2004

During Paris Fashion Week in October 2003, Albaz showed the Lanvin collection for next Spring. A dress from this collection is shown on the left. Click through for the full review.

He has continued to show a collection for Lanvin every season, to great success. Alber has become every woman's darling, dressing Nicole Kidman, Kate Moss, lots and lots of film stars, celebrities, etc. His clothes at Lanvin are womanly, user-friendly, working with the body as Geoffrey Beene taught him to do. Lanvin colours are not just black, or the white Elbaz chose when Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons asked him to participate in her London store, there are also vivd satins in green or fuchsia or a red trench-coat.

If you want to read more about the house of Lanvin click here.

Alber Honoured

Alber Elbaz received the Council of Fashion Designers of America award for Best International Designer, at their function in June 2005. He is shown with his statuette, on the right.

2005