Lanvin
The Label
Born in 1867 in France, Jeanne Lanvin was just 22 when she ventured to Paris to set up shop as a milliner in 1889. Over the next two decades, Lanvin dressed all of Paris’ elite—gentlemen, ladies, and children—resulting in her induction into the esteemed Chambre Syndicale de la Couture in 1909. In addition to ready-to-wear and couture, Lanvin created one iconic perfume after another, most notably being Arpege, which had an early fan in Josephine Baker. Lanvin’s fashions reflected her own innate sense of elegance and refinement, never pandering to the whims of current trends—a tradition current designer Alber Elbaz continues today.
The Look
Featherweight sophistication for the modern bourgeoisie.
The Designer
Moroccan-born Elbaz cut his teeth at Geoffrey Beene and Guy Laroche before taking over the reins at Yves Saint Laurent in the late nineties. After being unceremoniously dumped from the latter, he found a home at Lanvin in the fall of 2001, and it’s been a perfect fit ever since. Season after season, Elbaz’s Lanvin is a go-to for luxe chic.
