Everything to know about Lanvin and Elbaz controversy

Here’s a brief account of the infamous Elbaz Controversy of 2015.

By Vaishnavi Shree On April 25, 2021 3:27 PM

28th October 2015 marked the dramatic ‘divorce’ between Lanvin and its Creative Director Alber Elbaz becoming more of a ‘public conflict’.

After the designer’s sudden and shocking exit, the staff began a ‘Management Questioning Session’, enquiring the sudden departure of Alber Elbaz and the €30 million downturn in sales between 2012 and 2014. It is rather shocking that in a duration of 3 years, Lanvin’s revenue dropped from €235 million to €206 million.

The management summoned the employee representative committee to a proceeding hearing at Paris’ District. They led to the unfolding of many financial pitfalls in the company – from €11.9 million in 2012 to €2.9 million in 2014, while its EBITDA, as high as €14 million in 2012, fell to €3.3 million in 2014, according to the commercial court’s registry.

Elbaz left after raising a voice against the top management’s lack of any marketing or investment strategy.

Then the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo jumped into the controversy, expressing her “failure to understand” the Israeli-American designer’s ouster.

She also showed her concerns about the future of Lanvin’s 330 employees “legitimately destabilized by an incomprehensible decision.” She sought the owner to meet and discuss these “essential issues” with her.

“The destiny of these métiers is linked to that of Paris and to the history of our city, which is why I am moved by it,” she added.