INTRODUCTION

Lanvin is the oldest surviving fashion house in the world named after its founder, Jeanne Lanvin, who initially
began her career as a milliner and opened her first shop in 1889. She then established her fashion house in rue
du Faubourg Saint-Honoré after four years, attracting the high class Parisian women.

Lanvin’s Daughter, Marguerite, was destined to shape her mother’s brand as their relationship became a true
staple of the Lanvin DNA, with both of them immortalised into the Lanvin logo. The survival of the couture
house was due to the versatility in her offerings as she had an advanced belief that the role of a designer is
beyond that of a fashion maker. She provided a lifestyle within the empire she had built.

Madame Lanvin created fashion for women, men and children in all aspects of their lives, ranging from
daywear and evening wear, to the revolutionary world of sportswear that evolved during the early 20th
century. She also established a series of fragrances and entered into the world of interior design and the
decorative arts. The fashion empire also included a dye factory, where the Lanvin colour palette reputation
was created. Her most iconic signature color was the “Lanvin Blue.” The use of subtle details, ribbons,
intricate beading, embellishment, and embroidery through innovative decorative techniques are strong
trademarks of the house as well as the use of ethnic, medieval and oriental inspirations from her travels.
Madame Lanvin was specifically recognised for her “robe de style,” dress that gave women freedom. Unlike
other designers of her time such as Chanel and Schiaparelli, Lanvin used historicising silhouettes, retaining a
persistent, pre-modernist sensibility. Although Lanvin’s aesthetic was not viewed as part of the modernist
movement, her intellectual way of life and the way she generously applied it to her business was ahead of her
time. After her death in 1946, the continuation of the Lanvin heritage consisted of numerous creative
directors.

Alber Elbaz played a key part in recreating the same environment for the women of the 21st century and
followed the same formula. Elbaz served the brand for 13 years (2002-2015), a prosperous time for the Lanvin
house. He created sophisticated head-to-toe wardrobes, flattering to women of various body types and
extracted her essence that has manifested itself as “perfect imperfection,” with Lanvin’s body of work
continuously expressed as a work-in-progress. Elbaz reflected this through distressed fabrics and asymmetry
in hem-lines, focusing on the construction process of garments and of textiles. After his exit in 2015, the brand
entered into a period of uncertainty due to financial issues with sales dropping in 2016 by 23% and in 2017 by
30% under the creative direction of Bouchra Jarrar and Olivier Lapidus respectively. Failing to find the right
creative voice led to cutting advertisement costs and closing unprofitable stores. Chinese conglomerate,
Fosun International, recently became the major shareholder in Lanvin since February. They aim to boost the
label with new cash also by helping it secure prime boutique locations and branching into other areas.

Bruno Sialelli, previous menswear creative director of Loewe, has recently been announced as the new
creative director for Lanvin menswear and womenswear with the hopes of redefining the brand that appears
to be in a state of confusion and loss of identity. It is important to redefine the archetype of Lanvin by
understanding what it is not, as well as identifying the consumers perception in order to make the brand
relevant in the modern era, marrying the past of Lanvin with the present to create its future.