DUBAI: Legendary fashion designer Alber Elbaz has died at the age of 59 in Paris.
The Israeli-French, Morocco-born visionary’s death was confirmed by Compagnie Financière Richemont, his joint venture partner in AZ Factory, his latest fashion outing. He died on Saturday at The American Hospital in Paris and, according to WWD, the cause of his death was COVID-19.
“I have lost not only a colleague but a beloved friend,” Richemont founder and chairman Johann Rupert said in a statement published on April 25, the day after the designer’s sudden passing.
“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. He was a man of exceptional warmth and talent, and his singular vision, sense of beauty and empathy leave an indelible impression.”
Elbaz was born in Casablanca, Morocco and moved to Israel with his family when he was 10-years-old. He studied design at the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, before immigrating to New York then Paris to pursue a career in fashion.
He is best known for his tenure at Lanvin, where he spent a 14-year-spell during 2001 to 2015 rejuvenating the storied French maison.
After departing from Lanvin, Elbaz took a five-year hiatus. He returned to fashion on the Spring 2021 couture schedule with his just-launched, Richemont-backed venture AZ Factory.