'Love Brings Love' Exhibition Shines a New Light on the Spirit of Alber Elbaz

Designer Alber Elbaz created with such fervor and dedication that his legacy proves as powerful as his life’s creativity. In homage to the fashion icon, Love Brings Love—an exhibition named for his favored expression—will open at Paris’ Palais Galliera on March 5. Featuring 46 fashion houses and creators, the exhibition weaves together looks from emerging and established designers to recreate the runway show that honored Elbaz last fall. From Y/Project to Fendi and Off-White to Hermès, a wide range of aesthetic views casts a spotlight on his lasting influence within the world of style. 

“Many designers have been inspired by Alber Elbaz’s designs for Lanvin—the volumes, the mini dresses, the bows, and the color pink he often used. Others have reproduced his portrait and his styled drawings onto clothes,” curator Alexandre Samson tells L’OFFICIEL. “But all of the designers were inspired by the joy, positivity, and energy of [Elbaz’s] personality. They have each created clothes in their own styles with special tribute to him.”

Organized by Elbaz’s fashion start-up AZ Factory, the immersive exhibition recalls the tribute show closely, following the details of its runway order, music, and lighting. Nods to Elbaz took the form of dresses in his signature bright pink hue—in a streamlined shape from Alaïa and with volume from Balenciaga. Guo Pei and Giambattista Valli revealed gowns with exaggerated silhouettes, while sophisticated drapery was the shape at Burberry and Christopher John Rogers. Whimsical prints took center stage at Comme des Garçons and Dries van Noten, and Louis Vuitton and Balmain boasted ruffled styles, complete with Elbaz-beloved bows. Dynamic mannequin displays and projected footage from the original show also recall the feel of the catwalk experience. 

"The exhibition is a one-a-of-kind chance to gather 47 looks from different designers, which gives a special view of current creativity. A majority of these designers question inclusivity in fashion—about the various ethnicities of the models as well as gender and size inclusion,” says Samson. “Approaches towards the environment are also considered, and designers from established to emerging are featured.”

Fashion was always a life’s calling and early interest for the Morocco-born designer. Elbaz spent his young years in Israel, and after earning a degree in fashion design, headed to New York to pursue his dreams. There he worked closely with Geoffrey Beene, honing the classic, precise cuts that were the foundation of his design work. He then went on to create his first women’s ready-to-wear show for Guy Laroche, before becoming artistic director at Saint Laurent Rive Gauche. A crowning achievement was Elbaz’s role as creative director at Lanvin, where he reenvisioned the oldest Parisian fashion house with a modern, playful elegance during his near 15-year tenure. The designer also collaborated with H&M and Tod’s, as well as beauty projects with Lancôme and perfumer Frédéric Malle. For his contributions to fashion, he was recognized with the CFDA's coveted International Designer award and the Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest distinction. 

For Elbaz’s final fashion endeavor, he founded AZ Factory, centered on innovative design and esteem for the female form. Just after the launch of his first collection, he unexpectedly passed away in April 2021. “Alber Elbaz considered fashion to be one big family. After Lanvin, he worked with many fashion schools to, as he said, ‘fall in love again’ with fashion. This experience motivated him to create AZ Factory,” explains Samson. “The title of the exhibition also conveys the important consensus about his personality and kindness as a designer, and furthermore, as a human being.”