Alber Elbaz @ Lanvin

Photo:ID Magazine

The bleak surroundings did not matter when one watched the Lanvin spring summer 07 show projected on a white washed wall. A club like atmosphere was created in the tiny room by a blue windows screensaver on the laptop. And the mind was transported to visions of Courregés and futurism with models walking to loud thumping music wearing short dresses accented with neon hues in wet look techno fabrics. So what if it was only a video, the fact that the maker of these modern wonders, Alber Elbaz, creative director of one of the oldest existing couture houses in the world was explaining the collection in person was in itself a very rare occasion.

Visiting renowned fashion college, Central Saint Martins in London, he was on a mission to recruit an assistant designer at Lanvin. Elbaz decided to be generous and spent time with a few students discussing the runway look for spring. Talking about his inspirations for the collection, the designer said “Somehow around the world, futurism is back. I didn’t know I did futurism. I was in New York to receive an award (the CFDA best designer of the year) at the National Library. And there were women in long dresses, one of those events where nobody eats, and is very rigid. Everyone was waiting outside and it started to rain. And I have never seen anything like that. I saw make-up coming down faces, dresses becoming transparent. Look what water does to you! So I developed a fabric that looks wet – I captured the best moment, a moment where nobody pretended. It was a human show and it turned into something I didn’t plan.”

Spring/Summer 07 Lanvin

Life, has taken many unplanned moves for this designer from North Africa. Born in Casablanca, Morocco, Alber went on to study fashion at Tel Aviv’s Shenkar College of Design and Engineering after serving in the military. Instead of becoming a doctor like his family wanted, Alber arrived in New York with only a few dollars and a dream to chase. Small beginnings as a designer at Geoffrey Beene in New York were followed by a few years at Guy Laroche. Elbaz went on to be the designer in charge of the YSL prêt line, Rive Gauche, only to leave when Tom Ford took over reins during the Gucci acquisition of the French brand. At 44, he now works in Paris at what can only be described as an enviable position - Creative Director at Lanvin, a house with rich fashion history.

With all this experience, it comes as a surprise when the stocky bespectacled man confesses, that even today, before every single show, he is still afraid. He describes a conversation with Yves St Laurent a few years ago, “When I asked Mr. St Laurent, who was walking his dog at the studios, Are you scared? He said I’m very scared and after so many shows, even more!” Adding to that he says, “That kind of scary moments give us the electricity. We start with a white page and we go to Portobello Market – we realise everything was already bought. Prada is already vintage. How scary is that? I’m never happy. Why do we love what we do? After the show I am so depressed. I see the video, and I am ashamed to see how ugly my work is. Then I wake up in the morning, and go back to work – to perfect what is not perfect.”

Elbaz designs for strong assertive women. With movie stars like Nicole Kidman, Chloe Sevigny, Sofia Coppola and Kate Moss as huge supporters, Elbaz is a thinking woman’s favourite designer. “With design you start with art and make sure people can wear it. The most difficult thing is to find that moment between dreams and reality – to find that equilibrium between the two and make it work. You look in the mirror and say ‘my god I look amazing’. I had a customer call me once to thank me and said every time I wear your dress, men fall in love with me. Then I called her back and I said, I want you to fall in love! The difference she asked?” After a brief pause he says, “active and passive.”

As a creative head at Lanvin, he not only oversees the women’s wear but also gives a guiding hand to the menswear designer Lucas Ossendrijver. Alber Elbaz has given a new image to the French house, without removing any of the refinement and elegance that has always been associated with it, changing the packaging to a lovely duck blue with black. Describing his job he says, “There are certain creative directors who get a manicure and pedicure, say I like this and I don’t like that. Option two is to be in the kitchen and work and work. I give ideas, give direction and help with the styling, fitting and fabric.” Always the one earliest to arrive to the atelier, Elbaz has stepped into a comfortable but stressful position of as head of the family. “I start very early and come in first, making sure everyone comes home on time. This is what a family does –worry! It is about collaboration and giving due credit to people in the atelier. I create a democratic show. The designer coming to take a bow is not the only one doing the work.” Keeping it in the family is another of the houses traits, including creating their own special fabrics.

Alber Elbaz is far off from an image of a glamorous designer (think orange tanned Valentino or suave Karl Lagerfeld) with his scruffy hair and a rotund body. He cannot stand the thought of a having a muse calling her nothing but “rich or beautiful”. Describing his customer he emphasises on how he designs for women from across the globe. “You dress many different women with different nationalities. I design for a mother and daughter. In our campaigns we have Kate Moss and Didi Blair.” In a contrasting opinion he then exclaims, “I don’t believe in globality. It is about being universal rather than being global. A woman in India and a woman in Paris both like chocolate and both will have a tear when their daughter gets married.”

Perfection is a hard thing to achieve. But for Elbaz nothing less will do. And it is this determined approach to fashion, as linear as his trademark look that has delivered fantastic new looks every season. “I love coffee” he says, “But not instant coffee. It is not enough to love clothes and think pink and white are awesome. To be a good designer you have to have your feet on the ground and your head in the sky.” With powerful words that were meant to inspire the stars of the future at Saint Martins, it was no wonder that his last words were drowned out by deafening applause.