Moroccan-born fashion designer Alber Elbaz has died in Paris at the age of 59, luxury group Richemont, with whom he was associated, announced today, Sunday April 25.
“It is under the shock and with great sadness that I learned of the sudden death of Alber (…) He was a man of exceptional warmth and very talented, and his vision so singular, his sense of beauty and empathy will leave an indelible mark, ”greeted Group President Johann Rupert in a statement.
The causes of his death have not been specified by this source. But according to French media, Alber Elbaz is also a victim of Covid-19. “Tragic disappearance of Alber Elbaz, great fashion designer and great artist, intensely attached to know-how, wanting innovation of which he understood the full scope and necessity.
He had so much talent and also a lot of genius. Immense sadness, ”reacted on Twitter the executive president of the Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion, Pascal Morand.
Born June 12, 1961 in Casablanca, Alber Elbaz began his career with American designer Geoffrey Beene in New York before being hired by Guy Laroche to refresh the image of the French house founded in 1957.
He then took on the artistic direction for three years of the Saint Laurent Left Bank women’s ready-to-wear line, until it was acquired by the Gucci group. In the 2000s, he wakes up the Lanvin house that he will leave in 2015, in disagreement with the owner Shaw-Lan Wang.
Associated with the luxury group Richemont, he had been working since 2019 at his own brand AZFactory.