Alber Elbaz Returns to Fashion with Launch of AZ Factory

Alber Elbaz makes his long-awaited return to fashion with the launch of his newest venture: AZ Factory, a startup in partnership with luxury holding company Richemont. Elbaz was most recently the creative director of the fashion house Lanvin, where he exited in 2015. There, he was adored by editors, fashionistas and celebrities alike for his joyful designs and fun, yet elegant take on fashion.

Details of the hotly-anticipated launch have been kept tightly under wraps until AZ Factory digitally debuted its first collection with a film during Paris Couture week. “We are on a journey to design beautiful, purposeful, solutions-driven fashion that works for everyone,” Elbaz says. “We are life, not just lifestyle. A place to experiment and try new things, our way.”

This means Elbaz is going beyond the traditional fashion show with an AZ Factory World Tour, in partnership with Farfetch, which will offer an immersive virtual experience. And on January 27, Net-a-Porter will livestream The Talk Show with Alber Elbaz & Friends, a 30-minute “TV segment” with actors Kristin Scott Thomas and Camille Razat.

But let’s get back to the clothes. There are three main product stories within the collection: The first, MyBody, takes classics like the little black dress, leggings, and tops, and reimagines them for today, using specially engineered knitwear that gently hugs the silhouette while providing comfort and support. The second, Switchwear, is born out of the idea of the “gift of time” and gives the wearer the ability to effortlessly transform from an outfit of leisurewear into something more fabulous. The third story, SuperTech-SuperChic, takes “hi-tech to high fashion,” where eco-dyed nylon microfiber fabrics more commonly used in activewear are upgraded to couture-inspired fashion.

The MyBody collection is available to purchase now, while Switchwear and SuperTech-SuperChic will be shoppable later this spring.