Designers end Paris Fashion Week by paying tribute to the legendary Alber Elbaz
Fashion’s biggest names joined forces for the fittingly named Love Brings Love show in Paris, in honor of the late Alber Elbaz. By MEGAN LOGUE
It’s been just over six months since fashion lost one of its most remarkable and respected figures – the beloved designer Alber Elbaz. When it comes to achievements, the designer will no doubt be best remembered for his career-defining tenure at Lanvin – the dormant French heritage house he revived and revitalized during his 15 years at the helm – and, later, his founding of AZ Factory, the label he envisaged as a force for change and inclusion within the industry. However, Elbaz’s influence was also felt far beyond his design work.
In an industry widely known for its froideur, the warm, welcoming and wickedly self-deprecating Moroccan-born designer was truly one of a kind. As popular with celebrity clients – including the likes of Rihanna, Hailey Bieber and Jennifer Hudson – as he was with his fiercely loyal workforce and peers, the industry-wide outpouring of grief that followed his death spoke to the indelible impression he made on the fashion landscape.
In fact, Elbaz’s loss has been so keenly felt by his fellow designers that, this Paris Fashion Week, they banded together to pay tribute to him. You’d be forgiven for assuming that the first AZ Factory show held after Elbaz’s passing would be a somber affair, but the show, aptly named Love Brings Love, was in fact a celebration of Elbaz’s life and talent, as told by his contemporaries. A fashion bonanza of the highest order, 44 of the industry’s most established and exciting emerging designers – from Alaïa’s Pieter Mulier to Chloé’s Gabriela Hearst – featured in the lineup, each debuting a look inspired by Elbaz.
The concept, a show bringing together the best the fashion industry has to offer, was a long-held dream of Elbaz’s, inspired by the iconic 1945 exhibition Théâtre de la Mode, which brought together 60 of the world’s preeminent couturiers in a show of solidarity following the end of World War II.
“You’d be forgiven for assuming that the first AZ Factory show held after Elbaz’s passing would be a somber affair… but it was in fact a celebration of Elbaz’s life and talent
”
Held in Paris’s Carreau du Temple and live-streamed across social-media platforms, including YouTube and Instagram, the collection, much like the celebration, seamlessly blended old-world glamour and a sense of ceremony with a decidedly contemporary sensibility. While some designers, such as Gucci’s Alessandro Michele, opted to channel Elbaz’s design signatures, such as playful fabrications and deep jewel tones, others, including Hearst, focused on capturing the essence of his work – she said: “I wanted to pay tribute to the festive and elegant French chicness that Alber was so good at.” This was evidenced by her fresh interpretation of Gallic style. Elsewhere, American wunderkind Christopher John Rogers chose to reflect on the impact Elbaz’s work had on his own aesthetic: “His energy and enthusiasm for his work and the women he dressed will stay with me forever.” Rogers’ trademark rainbow brights were cast in a flowing silk dress that directly referenced Elbaz’s exquisite drapery and innate flair for construction.
It was a memorable night and one that will go down in fashion history; a show of unity and an utterly befitting tribute to a designer who will always be remembered for his ability to bring people together. However, a man of Elbaz’s magnitude will continue to be remembered long after tonight’s show. Pierpaolo Piccioli, creative director of Valentino, perfectly summed up the mood of the evening when he said, “I am more than happy to celebrate him at any given time. I love you, Alber.”
DISCOVER AZ FACTORY
12 items