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At Lanvin, Refined is the Word
By Timothy Hagy
Finding the way inside the tent at the Lanvin show on Sunday afternoon was not exactly easy, as the only light seemed to be coming from a crystal chandelier suspended midway down the runway. But there in the darkness was the unmistakable profile of Pierre Bergé, co-founder of Yves Saint Laurent Couture. "I'm certainly not going to the Saint Laurent show," he said, emphatically jabbing his left index finger into the air. "This is the first time they haven't invited me, and I wouldn't be seen there anyway!"
Well, that might be just as well, given Tom Ford's swansong is wrapped in such bitterness, and his legacy with the label muddled at best. But what is most striking is not present day Saint Laurent, but the fact that Alber Elbaz has so beautifully and elegantly found his way at Lanvin. It is increasingly clear, with each passing season, that the Israeli-American designer seems so comfortable with the sleek, understated collections he creates. And with so much going so right, it's no wonder that Pierre Bergé breaks into a smile at the mention of his name, or that virtually every high-powered editor in the world now sits front row at Lanvin, or that Hollywood - Sofia Coppola and Kate Moss being just a sprinkling of his following - has taken notice.
And what came down the catwalk this afternoon was sheer beauty. If there was a theme, it was that Alber has his finger so securely on the pulse of contemporary elegance: be that in strips of mocha organza that were sewn together like ribbons, or a deep crimson silk cocktail dress with streamers falling so gently from the arms, or the beautifully cut charcoal gray overcoat, purse strap arranged as a cordon and pinned with a sparkling sunburst brooch. The look was regal.
There were so many details, and so many carefully refined touches that you had to look closely to appreciate the finesse: sensuous asymmetrical hems, impeccable draping, a cocktail dress that magically unfolded to form an evening gown trailed by a gently floating train.
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Alber said backstage "I was thinking about an award. Awards for women with the brooch decoration".
André Leon Talley, American Vogue's Editor-at-Large, who was wearing a gray military-style overcoat, which he identified as Christian Dior (not Homme), was ecstatic. "I loved it," he said while mixing champagne with orange juice. "SOOOO refined. And the secret is Alber knows about dressmaking - how to cut things like those beautiful dresses that looked like ribbons, or how to attach a train and drape it like that. It's two for the price of one!"
As the champagne flowed, an amazingly chipper Suzy Menkes reflected, "I haven't had a day off in weeks, and now I've got to do this Gucci thing because nobody at the NY Times seems to be writing anything. Honestly, it's exhausting. It's one thing if you have something to write about - like here - but what can you say about Stella McCartney?"
And as the guests mingled, you got the sense that a circle of goodwill is steadily building around Alber - such a modest, almost self effacing designer, with volumes yet to speak.
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