A Major Fashion Shakeup: Paris’ Oldest Fashion House Finds Its New Power Woman

Bouchra Jarrar has some big shoes to fill. The new head of women’s collections at Lanvin replaces Alber Elbaz, who was fired in October after 14 years with the Paris-based brand.

“It is a huge honour to continue promoting the Lanvin style, with designs created in the company’s ateliers by teams who possess extraordinary expertise. Joining Lanvin meets a desire to expand my creation to wider fields of expression. It is my intention to bring to Lanvin the harmony and consistency of a fashion designed for women, a fashion of our time,” said Jarrar in a statement. She was formerly studio director at Balenciaga and head of couture design for Christian Lacroix. Jarred founded her eponymous fashion house in 2010.

“Bouchra Jarrar is a talented and visionary designer. She is the obvious choice for Lanvin,” added Michèle Huiban, chief executive officer of the company. “Her talent, her high standards and her mastery of cuts and fabrics will bring a breath of freshness and modernity into the house, while respecting its soul as the oldest Paris fashion house, a symbol of French elegance.”

Jarrar, who is 45, graduated from the Duperré School of Applied Arts, and worked two years as the designer of Jean Paul Gaultier‘s licensed jewelry collection. In 2015, a French venture capital firm opened a minority investment in Jarrar’s fashion label.

Lanvin, which was founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin, has been owned by Taiwan citizen Shaw-Lan Wang since 2001. According to market sources, Lanvin’s annual sales have decreased to about 200 million euros ($221.7 million) from a high of 250 million euros several years ago.