Alber Elbaz Israeli fashion designer of Moroccan origin. Country: Israel

Biography of Alber Elbaz

Alber Elbaz is an Israeli fashion designer of Moroccan origin. He was born in Casablanca, Morocco and his family moved to Israel when he was ten years old. He spent his youth in the Israeli town of Holon.

After completing his military service in the Israeli army, Elbaz enrolled in Shenkar College of Engineering and Design in Ramat Gan. In 1987, he moved to New York City to pursue his career in fashion. He worked for two years in a company that produced clothing for mothers of brides and then spent seven years under the mentorship of Geoffrey Beene.

During his time with Beene, Elbaz was influenced by the designer's rejection of typical fashion trends and his skill in draping and fabric selection. Their relationship was ideal, as they often understood each other without words. In 1997, Elbaz left Beene and joined Guy Laroche with the help of the Dawn Mello network of stores. At the time, Guy Laroche was not at the peak of its career, with its once-popular designer becoming overly conservative. Elbaz significantly elevated the level of the brand's new collections, improving its image in the eyes of consumers.

However, Elbaz did not stay with Guy Laroche for long, leaving in 1998 to design ready-to-wear women's clothing for Yves Saint Laurent. At the time, Yves Saint Laurent made the decision to move from handmade haute couture to a more mass-market product. Elbaz was considered perfect for the position, and many believed he would take over the fashion house when Yves Saint Laurent retired. However, "YSL Rive Gauche" was acquired by "Gucci," and after three collections, the new label director, Tom Ford, decided not to continue working with Elbaz.

Undeterred, Elbaz found a new job in Italy at the fashion house "Krizia." In October 2001, he returned to France and was appointed artistic director of the Parisian fashion house "Lanvin." Lanvin, founded by Jeanne Lanvin in 1909, is considered to be the oldest functioning fashion house. In August 2001, the company was acquired by representatives of the investment group "Harmonie S.A.," and its leader, Taiwanese media magnate Shaw-Lan Wang, decided to enlist Elbaz's services. It was expected that the talented young designer would completely overhaul the fashion house's style and breathe new life into it.

In 2006, Elbaz unveiled his promised new style to the public. It was based on a light shade of forget-me-not blue, Jeanne Lanvin's favorite color. Elbaz's simple, comfortable, and feminine clothing, reminiscent of Lanvin's classic sportswear designs from the 1920s, received high praise from the fashion press. His suits were favored by fashion icons such as Nicole Kidman, Kate Moss, Chloe Sevigny, and Sofia Coppola.

Not much is known about Elbaz's personal life. Currently, he is in a stable relationship with Alex Koo, who works as the marketing director for Lanvin.