Lanvin, founded by Jeanne Lanvin in 1885, is the oldest French fashion house. The well-known designer Lanvin, initially producing clothing for ladies and girls, immediately attracts a vast clientele and conquers great popularity all over Europe already in the early 1920s.
The Maison's significant logo depicts Jeanne Lanvin and her daughter shaking hands, emphasizing the special relationship between the two. Thinking of her, in fact, the designer creates her first clothes, making her her main muse.
The Lanvin maison is distinguished by the use of bold colors associated with innovative decorative techniques. Ribbons, embroidery, pearls and precious details adorn the clothes without ever compromising the cut. The emblematic shades of the maison, such as the blue Lanvin, are joined by the frequent use of white and black, sometimes embellished with silver notes.
When Jeanne Lanvin passed away, her daughter Marie-Blanche became president of the Maison, continuing to create collections until 1950. Various creators, including Francois Crahay, Claude Montana, succeeded her with the ambition of keeping the savoire-faire intact, the spirit and excellence of the brand. In 2001 Alber Elbaz becomes the new artistic director of the French fashion house and his characteristic models for the brand are among the most sought after in fashion. Under his direction, Lanvin expands the collections of accessories such as jewelery, shoes, bags and brings the brand to be successful also in the interior design sector. His talent is revealed in an extraordinary way above all through the creation of ultra-feminine cocktail dresses, incarnation of the typical Parisian chic style.
Today the brand is run in parallel by Lucas Ossendrijver (menswear line) and Bruno Sialelli (womenswear line), who have accepted streetwear contamination within the Maison.