Designer Alber Elbaz, who worked at some of France's best-known fashion houses, has died in Paris aged 59.
From 2001, Elbaz was artistic director at Lanvin, where he was credited with rejuvenating the brand, until he was sacked in 2015.
He had recently launched his own label, AZ Factory.
His business partner Johann Rupert said Elbaz had died from Covid. Mr Rupert praised Elbaz's "inclusive vision of fashion".
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He said Elbaz had "worked to realise his dreams of "smart fashion that cares".
'Zip in and zip out'
Born in Morocco and raised in Israel, Elbaz went to New York to begin his fashion career, where he worked for designer Geoffrey Beene.
In 1996, he moved to Paris to take up the reins at Guy Laroche. He was selected by Yves St-Laurent to take over responsibility for the Rive Gauche brand, but was dismissed after the company was taken over by Gucci in 1999.