The news, which is expected to be confirmed imminently, comes less than a week after Dior announced that Simons would not renew his contract after just 3 and half years in the job.
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Less than one week after receiving the prestigious Superstar Award at the annual Fashion Group International’s Night of Stars, Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz could be leaving the fashion house. Often lauded for the transformative effect he’s had on the label’s aesthetic and sales, the Israeli designer has been at the 126-year-old French house since 2001 – an impressive stint in an industry where talent-shuffling is not rare.
According to WWD’s sources, Elbaz’s reported departure was a result of disagreements between the designer and the company’s owner Shaw-Lan Wang and chief executive officer Michèle Huiban.
Elbaz during Lanvin’s Spring 2016 show in Paris. “What does it matter?”
In the past few months we’ve had Alexander Wang leave Balenciaga and Raf Simons leave Dior – does this mean we’ll be hearing an announcement soon that Elbaz will be moving into Simons’ slot? He is believed to have held discussions with Dior in 2011 following John Galliano’s dismissal, but they did not progress due to his ownership stake in Lanvin. Elbaz will go down in the house’s history as a designer who respected and loved women’s bodies, thanks to the feminine, couture-like pieces he crafted over the years.
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Elbaz’s departure from Lanvin, now celebrating it’s 125 anniversary, throws open another opportunity for a designer with their eye on a top job.
