As the news breaks that Alber Elbaz is to leave French house Lanvin, we look once more at the photographic exhibition Alber Elbaz/Lanvin: Manifeste which opened in September at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie and explores the beautiful mind of longstanding creative director Alber Elbaz.
By Natalie Trevis
Backstage at Lanvin AW12, ten year anniversary show. Photography by But Sou Lai.
Five rooms of vivid photography, reminiscent of an art installation, invite the viewer into a world of fittings, backstage beauty and technical creation at the house of Lanvin. ‘In this digital age, we live through our screens, documenting the moment,’ says Elbaz. ‘We no longer look; we film. We no longer listen; we tape. And we no longer talk; we post.’ Whether you believe that to be the natural progression of a generation constantly moving forwards or a sad indictment of traditions we may have lost, it is the starting point for this unique glimpse into the creative workings of one of the most amenable and talented men in fashion. Elbaz honed his craft in the early Nineties with American couturier, Geoffrey Beene, before joining Guy Laroche and later taking over as artistic director at Yves Saint Laurent for three well-received collections before finding a true synergy at Lanvin in 2001.
Fittings for Lanvin SS13 collection. Photography by Katy Reiss.
Famously without an email address and not concerned with technological innovations, the exhibition seeks to bridge the gap between Elbaz’ solitary creativity – he designs in a quiet space with a blank page and black marker pen – and the riot of innovation in fabric, silhouette and form that explodes onto the runway each season. Hailed as an introspective rather than a retrospective, the collection of photographs addresses how image can constrain as well as elevate fashion and luxury. A dress that looks, and more importantly feels, good on the body doesn’t necessarily translate into a desirable image and vice versa. Three dimensions don’t always translate into two.
Alber Elbaz’ sketch for Lanvin SS14 collection. Photography by Katy Reiss.
Photographers But Sou Lai, Mark Leibowitz, Katy Reiss, James Bort, Juliette Da Cunha and Alex Koo contribute to the 350 images, which linger in the memory as a secret passport to a hidden and celebrated world. The photographs, just like the collections they capture, create a lasting record of glorious and fleeting moments in time.
Lanvin SS14 show. Photography by But Sou Lai.
Maison Européenne de la Photographie
9 September – 31 October 2015
5/7 rue de Fourcy, 75004 Paris
+33 (0)1 44 78 75 00
www.mep-fr.org
