by Mirella Haddad

For Alber Elbaz, “we are no longer listening, we are taping. We’re not talking, we are posting. And we are not looking, just filming.” To restore the idea of connection and highlight the contradiction between two extremes, the real and the artificial, Elbaz launches a cruise collection that “is about a reflection on now” for Summer 2016.

Contemporary culture's “Reality TV” has fascinated Elbaz for years, recognizing it as a prominent fabric of today's society. In alignment, Elbaz further addresses the rise of Instagram and the need for everything to look good in picture. For his presentation in New York, the designer created sitcom-like sets that capture the daily moments of real life in all their multi-faceted facades. He encouraged guests to look deeply at their surroundings while presenting designs that help the Lanvin woman to be ready for what’s beyond a picture - life.

Collaborating with French artist Cyril Hatt, whose work plays with the balance between real and artificial, Elbaz's ideal artificial universe came alive. Hatt's work involves photographing the subject in detail, then printing the images, scratching and tearing them apart to later stitch them together to create a 3-dimensional form using nothing but a stapler and wood beams.

From June 9^th till July 7^th, Hatt’s creations will appear in Lanvin's New York Flagship store windows for both the women & men's boutiques following the presentation. 

See the full collection here