Fashion Designer Alber Elbaz Dies at 59 Due to COVID-19

Alber Elbaz has sadly died.

The Moroccan-born Israeli fashion designer, known for his work in refreshing and modernizing the image of Lanvin in the ’00s, passed away on Saturday (April 24) in Paris, France at the age of 59 due to COVID-19, the New York Times reported.

“Alber had a richly deserved reputation as one of the industry’s brightest and most beloved figures. I was always taken by his intelligence, sensitivity, generosity and unbridled creativity,” said Johann Rupert, chairman of Richemont, the company backing his own project, AZ Factory.

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Alber was the fashion director of Lanvin from 2001 to 2015, and was credited for rejuvenating the brand for a more modern audience. He later launched AZ Factory after a five year hiatus following his firing from the fashion label.

He was very accomplished in his field, having previously served as the assistant designer of Geoffrey Beene in the ’90s before becoming the head of prêt-à-porter design at Guy Laroche. He also oversaw the ready-to-wear collections of Yves Saint Laurent before taking his Lanvin position in 2001.

Our thoughts are with Alber Elbaz‘s loved ones at this difficult time.

We have sadly lost all of these stars in 2021. We have also lost a lot of stars specifically due to the COVID-19 pandemic.