After LANVIN Dismissed The Creative Director, The Company Was Sent To Court.

Those who sat in Lanvin in October

The front row applause editor, retailers and friends did not expect this to happen; the international fashion group did not expect this to happen; Merrill Streep did not expect this to happen to Alber Elbaz when she presented the "Super Star Award" on the international fashion group star night, and most importantly, Lanvin employees did not expect this to happen.

No one thought that at the end of October, Elbaz would receive a letter from Lanvin at his home in Paris, telling him not to go to work because he was dismissed.

No one even thought that in a few days, Lanvin, the Old French brand, would be taken to court.

"I've never seen anything like this before," says Julie Gilhart, the fashion director of Barneys store and the independent fashion consultant.

"The company is divided into two camps: one is management, the other is trade unions and studios," a newly dismissed supervisor said anonymously.

The original harmonious marriage between designer and brand suddenly turned into an ugly "divorce", like many divorces.

This Wednesday in Paris's Grand Court, judge P e n lope Postel-Vinay ruled the case into an emergency procedure.

The executive branch of Lanvin accused the union of abusing employees and management intermediaries of abusing the internal contact network, inciting emotions, and unwarranted warning to the Commission about the company's situation, especially its financial problems and requiring independent audit.

The judge ruled that the first two issues of the trade union were their rights, and the court had no jurisdiction over the acts of warning.

The judge asked Lanvin to pay a fine of 3000 euros, and asked them to pay the legal costs of the trade union, but did not agree to the 20 thousand euros compensation originally requested by the union.

Merrill Streep presented the Alber Elbaz with the superstar award from "star night of international fashion group".

Albaz and Lanvin management declined to be interviewed.

This year, we have witnessed too many designer changes: Alessandro Michele has replaced Frida Giannini in Gucci's position; Peter Dundas has switched from Pucci to Cavalli.

The appearance of Lanvin's lawsuit has opened the corner of the veil of fashion, exposing the cost of designer replacement to everyone in the industry.

"Everyone should pay attention to this negative textbook," said CEO Ralph Toledano of Puig fashion company.

Ralph Toledano turned out to be CEO of Guy Laroche. He introduced Elbaz from Paris to New York in 1995, and became the creative director of Laroche.

In the fashion world, the most successful companies are based on good relationships between CEO and designers, such as Pierre Berg and Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti.

In 2001, Wang Xiaolan took over the men's and perfume Department of Lanvin when Elbaz was expelled from Yves Saint Laurent, and the two met.

According to an article from New York guest in 2009, Wang Xiaolan said to Elbaz, "it's time to wake up sleeping beauty."

Natasa Cagalj, the current creative director of Ports 1961, worked closely with Lanvin and Elbaz in 2001-2005 years.

"Our first show didn't even invite models, but we also joked that we could just pull people from Paris street to show off."

In the second quarter, everything changed.

Elbaz has created brand logo features, such as exposed zippers and so on.

"I remember this is a rare show," said Virginia Smith, marketing director of Vogue magazine. "Everyone basically cheers and cheers on their seats."

In 2006, Paul Deneve, director of Nina Ricci, joined Lanvin as general manager.

Cecile Andrau, then chief sales officer, said: "the major shopping centres are competing for the introduction of Lanvin brand goods."

Later, she became Vice President of Lanvin company.

Shopping is not only for sale, but also for employees.

Marigay McKee, former director of harrow store, said she had at least ten black skirts of Lanvin; Ikram Goldman had its own boutique in Chicago, and she had been buying it from the first season of Elbaz, and she said she would "buy it for herself".

Julie Gilhart said: "the speed of brand development is also puzzling us.

Barnes and Lanvin collaborated with our first investment millions of non public fashion shows, and Lanvin became the fixed brand of the two floor of Barnes mall.

But that does not mean that the process is easy.

Natasa Cagalj said, "Elbaz is a workaholic, the first to come in the morning and the last to leave in the evening.

He could not bear the design of the golden mean, so he was always challenged.

He called this process "playing table tennis": constantly discussing revisions with the studio.

Roger Vivier's creative director worked with Elbaz in Yves Saint Laurent for two quarters, and he had the same impression.

"It's hard for him to work together. He can't agree to any decision until the last minute, because he pursues perfectionism very much.

He will keep giving you all kinds of modifications, and you can talk for hours on composition, outline and even intention.

However, Elbaz often brings flowers to employees on weekdays, birthdays, birthdays and funerals.

Cagalj said, "he cherishes every employee, and employees know that he is good intentions."

Indeed, these employees have been around him.

Cagalj says Elbaz "let me know that design is a very emotional process."

Frisoni describes a Lanvin show he attended: "you can see his love for fashion, women and human beings. How can you not love him?"

However

The interior is still divided.

In 2007, it was alleged that Wang had sold the perfume department to Interparfums without telling her Deneve plan in advance.

In January 2009, Deneve resigned because of "irreconcilable differences".

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This is an infinite cycle: differences can not be tolerated, so the outcome is either resigned or dismissed.

Although Elbaz and Wang Xiaolan always look good, they also have a common practice: after every show, Elbaz will bow to the audience, then he will bow to Wang Xiaolan alone, and Wang Xiaolan will give him a kiss and a bunch of flowers.

As a result, Elbaz also resigned as a result of strategic differences.

Elbaz wrote an open letter to management and employees, saying that this gap was due to the lack of clear strategies and development findings, and many employees supported this view.

Andretta and Gilhart also said that whenever they asked Elbaz to design some commercial products, such as coats or long skirts, they would be willing to implement Elbaz's explanation of why the market needed the product.

Lanvin accused Elbaz of selling his stake in Bluewater without Wang Xiaolan's consent, and then pressed Wang Xiaolan to sell her shares.

At the end of the last show of Elbaz, Wang Xiaolan and Elbaz did not follow the custom of many years, although the show was regarded as the best performance of Elbaz in recent years.

In October, Elbaz called his assistant to ask her to help pack things in the office. When Elbaz was no longer allowed to enter the company building, employees knew that Elbaz had been dismissed.

In the big meeting later on the same day, Lanvin's CEO Mich Le Huiban officially announced the termination of contract with Elbaz.

The incident escalated from here.

The trade unions said they were not satisfied with the company's answers to the reasons and prospects for Elbaz expulsion, so they openly expressed their concerns on a French radio station.

The management said the staff refused to attend the meeting.

The labor union also issued a letter for Elbaz defending itself, and the management was very unhappy that the trade union was on the United Front with Elbaz.

In an internal mail, management said they would not continue appeals and would like to have a more constructive dialogue with their employees.

For the time being, we still do not know the financial losses that will arise after the expulsion of Elbaz. For the trade union lawyers, the company needs to compensate the Union for 2000-4000 euros of compensation, but the lawyer in Lanvin denied this statement.

Andretta said: "after Elbaz has gone, the only thing that is clear now is that the brand must think about how to develop in the future."

It is said that it may be possible to fill this gap by British designer Simone Rocha or Chinese designer Zhang Shan Shan.

Rumours say Elbaz may go to Dior, but there is no definite message yet, and Elbaz has been keeping a low profile.