It’s a sad day for the fashion industry: designer Alber Elbaz has died at age 59 due to complications from Covid-19. Elbaz, the creative director of Paris-based Richemont’s AZ Factory, passed away on Saturday, April 24th, according to a spokesperson for the company.
“It was with shock and enormous sadness that I heard of Alber’s sudden passing. Alber had a richly deserved reputation as one of the industry’s brightest and most beloved figures,” Richemont chairman Johann Rupert said in a statement. “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 Morocco and raised in Israel, later studying at the Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art in Tel Aviv. He worked for legendary fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent before spending fourteen years as the creative director for Lanvin. Elbaz also did stints with Geoffrey Beene and Guy Laroche.
He was working to change the way fashion was viewed with his newly launched AZ Factory, which aimed to be more inclusive and sold at a lower price point.
“I asked myself, ‘If I was a woman, what would I want?’” Mr. Elbaz told The New York Times in January. “Something that is first comfortable. Something fun. Something that lets me eat a big piece of cake.”
