Alber Elbaz - Designer

[fashionista-ta]

This is her Instagram post with the house's official statement, which she correctly characterizes as bald: https://instagram.com/p/9aKMuelr-b/

 

[lucy92]

Earlier this year, we reported that Wang was looking to sell the fashion house, although nothing has come to fruition. Elbaz, who was brought on by Wang in 2001 and owns a stake in the fashion house, is said to have "complained about a lack of strategy and targeted investment, and about compromising the image of the brand in Asia".

vogue.co.uk

how was the bran'd image compromised in asia? did the lanvin execs want to open too many stores in asia?

anyone know?

 

[briasoboojie]

i'm sad for alber because he's so talented but like many others in this thread i'm not totally shocked. for the last couple of years his designs just seemed boring.

i do agree with suzy menkes in the implication that he was pushed out. to me it looks like lanvin is just another victim of fashion's obsession with chucking the old for what's new and hot.

also, i don't see raf going anywhere just yet. he specifically said that he wanted to focus more on his own brand which is fair because dior was very demanding.

 

[Pricciao]

vogue.co.uk

how was the bran'd image compromised in asia? did the lanvin execs want to open too many stores in asia?

anyone know?

They sold huge part of the legal rights to some apparel in Japan, and had difficulties to acquire it back. Fashion business usually works wonder there, but Lanvin doesn't have it.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Also interesting was Suzy's certainty that his career is far from over. That tells me it won't be the beach


It appears that Ms Wang's hands-on approach to the business simply isn't working. I wonder what changed to make her decide Lanvin was her cash cow. Is her publishing business hurting?

 

[Pricciao]

I don't think so, they are doing quite fine. But they do try to focus on the new digital media business recently.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Really? They're about to post a loss, their fragrance business is gone, their star designer is gone, and they have a black eye as a result. That's quite fine?

 

[Lola701]

In Japan, they have that other line called "Lanvin en Bleu". I don't know if Alber was involved in that but that line is sold only in Japan.

 

[Pricciao]

^ Really? They're about to post a loss, their fragrance business is gone, their star designer is gone, and they have a black eye as a result. That's quite fine?

I mean the media business you were asking later, Lanvin is another case. Also the fragrance permission was dealed in 2007. They definitely needed the money back then to get ready for a more world wide scale also to help with the short of income.

 

[ToniOrtega]

Was completely devastated by this news!! I always looked forward to his collections!
The possibility of him in Dior is a huge relief though!! Some of his previous collections have shown he quite knows how to reinvent the New Look!

As for Lanvin, I pray to the heavens above that the new creative director won't transform this elegant and chic rich house into an ugly and uninspired million-dollar thrift store that we've seen done to Saint Laurent and Gucci (and sadly might happen to Balenciaga too)!!

 

[fashionista-ta]

I mean the media business you were asking later, Lanvin is another case. Also the fragrance permission was dealed in 2007. They definitely needed the money back then to get ready for a more world wide scale also to help with the short of income.

OK, thanks, I understand.


Didn't realize the fragrance deal was so long ago ... the story made it sound like yesterday! Perhaps that was a justified trade-off.


If that's the case, I guess the deal includes some kind of collaboration, as I remember Alber promoting Lanvin fragrance before--specifically Me, which seemed like such an idiotic name


This is the first time I've heard of Lanvin en Bleu. Has anyone seen it/tried it on? Is it a diffusion line?

 

[WilliamsLe010919]

OK, thanks, I understand.


Didn't realize the fragrance deal was so long ago ... the story made it sound like yesterday! Perhaps that was a justified trade-off.


If that's the case, I guess the deal includes some kind of collaboration, as I remember Alber promoting Lanvin fragrance before--specifically Me, which seemed like such an idiotic name


This is the first time I've heard of Lanvin en Bleu. Has anyone seen it/tried it on? Is it a diffusion line?

Lanvin en Bleu is only available in Japan. It's a casualwear line and is affordable to mass market. It's like a classier version of Uniqlo.

 

[Chanelcouture09]

The latest from WWD has made for interesting reading - employees demanding he return.

My guess is, Alber in at Dior and Olivier Theyskens in at Lanvin.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I can see how he wouldn't be utterly thrilled with that ...


In the past couple years Lanvin has had more casual wear, but it's not terribly justifiable at full price IMO.

 

[fashionista-ta]

wwd

Wow.

Lanvin Employees Contest Alber Elbaz Ouster

The company’s works council is demanding an explanation, and the return of the star designer.

By Miles Socha

Alber Elbaz at his desk.
Stephane Feugere





PARIS — Lanvin’s 330 employees are not taking the ouster of Alber Elbaz lying down.

The company’s works council has demanded that majority owner Shaw-Lan Wang, who pushed out the star designer, return to Paris from her native Taiwan to listen to their concerns, answer questions and reassure employees. They also have a message to deliver to her: Bring Elbaz back.
The employee body said it may also seek recourse with the Paris commercial court to mediate its opposition to the management decision.
Representatives of the works council divulged details of its revolt on a midday broadcast on French radio station RTL.
Lanvin staff were told of Elbaz’s dismissal on Wednesday — news met with shock, tears and chants of “Alber, Alber, Alber,” according to an anonymous employee, who was joined for the broadcast by council representative Charles-Henry Paradis.
News of Elbaz’s ouster after an eventful 14-year tenure was first reported on WWD.com on Wednesday morning Eastern Standard Time, with the designer holding out hope that the company “finds the business vision it needs to engage in the right way forward.”
Sources said the rupture came following disagreements between Elbaz, Wang and chief executive officer Michèle Huiban.
Elbaz has yet to indicate his future intentions, and his successor at Lanvin has yet to be named. As reported, names on its short list could include Olivier Rousteing, Simone Rocha, Huishan Zhang and Joseph Altuzarra, as well as Lucas Ossendrijver, tapped by Elbaz in 2005 to rejuvenate Lanvin Homme.

 

[Scotty]

LOL @Olivier Rousteing being on that list. the last thing he needs to do is ruin another brand.

 

[Phuel]

There's not much going for Lanvin without Alber. I always thought "the day Alber leaves is the day that business dies." I highly doubt she'll get the price she wants for that company without Alber there. Things must have been worse than we thought.

As for Lucas, he's also a remarkable talent. I doubt he'll stay at Lanvin unless he wants to do the women's as well. Otherwise, I could see him and Alber moving over to Dior and usher in a golden age for the house. If I were Arnault I would be using every resource available to secure those two.

Oh my… Alber and Lucas would be a much needed jolt of pure joy for Dior. It would be like warm Meditarrean sunshine and life again after a dreary, depressing, sulking Siberian winter with Raf and Kris.

 

[fashionista-ta]

LOL @Olivier Rousteing being on that list. the last thing he needs to do is ruin another brand.

But he could be exactly what she deserves Cornflower blue chains and distressed denim, I can see it now

 

[educo]

Suzy Menkes' Instagram feed makes for interesting reading this morning. She's determined he was well and truly pushed out and isn't afraid to be announcing it to everyone it seems.

For real! She's even calling out Tom Ford for pushing him out of YSL.

 

[fashionista-ta]

I think Suzy is tired of mean!


There have been an awful lot of designers fired over the years ... this is the first employee uprising I can remember. I bet he knows most if not all of those 330 people by name. It really says a lot.