The house of Jeanne Lanvin has named Olivier Lapidus to be its new artistic director. He replaces Bouchra Jarrar just four days after she was fired by the maison’s owner, 75-year-old Taiwanese billionaire Shaw-Lan Wang, after just 16 months at the house.
“I could not be happier. I just signed the contract 15 minutes ago. It’s a fantastic challenge to reignite the house of Jeanne Lanvin. It’s France’s oldest couture house and an incredible name and maison,” Lapidus said.
“It’s a great honor to be asked to direct such a storied house. I start my first day tomorrow at 10AM,” added Lapidus.
Lanvin has been plunged into difficulty for the past two years, ever since Madame Shaw abruptly sacked Alber Elbaz, its longtime, much loved, and critically acclaimed designer. His successor Jarrar met with mixed reviews, while former employees fought a labor court case for unfair dismissal.
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“I believe that Alber Elbaz did an extraordinary job and I hope to continue the tradition of great fashion chez Lanvin,” commented Lapidus, who noted that Madame Lanvin shared the same first name as his own mother, Jeanne.
“I know my mother would have been delighted by the idea of her son working for Lanvin,” commented Lapidus, whose own father Ted Lapidus was a star designer back in the Sixties.
Paris-born Lapidus added that he expects to present his first collection for Lanvin in September during the Paris ready-to-wear season. He said this would be a capsule collection, with possibly a small runway show. “I am not sure of the exact date, it might even be in early September,” the couturier added.
Lapidus will continue with his own recently launched couture house, Création Olivier Lapidus, which debuted in this month’s haute couture season in Paris. In effect, it represented the launch of the first pure online couture house ever.
(Source: Fashion Network)