To mark Alber Elbaz's sudden passing, Vogue is looking back at some of his best quotes throughout his career.
“If It’s Not Wearable, It’s Not Fashion,” and More of Alber Elbaz’s Best Quotes
Alber Elbaz often referred to himself as a dressmaker, and for each exceptionally cut cocktail frock in satin and grosgrain, he had a bon mot to go with it. In every interview, every Q&A, every lecture, Elbaz was as generous with his thoughts as with his silhouettes. To mark his sudden passing, Vogue is looking back at some of his best quotes throughout his career.
Read through Elbaz’s statements and threads emerge. Food is a recurring subject, and as he told it fashion is alternately like a roast chicken, a chocolate soufflé, and a full course dinner. It might sound silly or self-deprecating, but the metaphors describe the heart of Elbaz’s work: Something that is at once indulgent and essential. You must eat, so eat a slice of chocolate cake...and if you must get dressed, the smart move is to choose an Elbaz creation.
But beyond embracing the pleasure of fashion, Elbaz was attuned to the struggles of maintaining creativity and independence in an ever-more-commercial landscape. He often spoke with students and wasn’t shy about discussing the difficulty of balancing art and commerce. He also rejected ideas of perfection, over-work, and fashion’s vicious competition. His willingness to speak the truth so warmly and openly made him an idol and inspiration for many, from the biggest names in fashion to the newest young designers around the world.
On fashion’s relevance:
“Fashion is like a fruit. You couldn’t eat it a day before and you couldn’t eat it a day after. It’s just about today.”
And to continue that food metaphor . . .
“If it’s not edible, it’s not food. If it’s not wearable, it’s not fashion.”
On being who you are:
“Wear flats. You’re short. It’s much cooler not to pretend.”
On style:
“Style is the only thing you can’t buy. It’s not in a shopping bag, a label, or a price tag. It’s something reflected from our soul to the outside world—an emotion.”
On the goal of his work:
“Our job as designers is not just to create fashion shows, but to work around needs and then to bring the dream, and combine somehow function and fashion. More than that, I remember what Meryl Streep told me, that I always helped her to be a better version of her, and not to transform her. I think this is my job, I’m not trying to transform anyone, I’m just trying to make everyone, as much as I can, a better version of themselves.”
This story originally appeared on: Vogue - Author:Steff Yotka
