Alber Elbaz links up with Tod’s

Alber Elbaz is back. Quite possibly fashion’s most loved creator celebrated his partial re-entry into the fashion orbit with a capsule collection for Tod’s.

Alber named the collection Happy Moments, inspired, he explained in a heartfelt, though witty, speech, by his turbulent life in the past four years since his dramatic firing from Lanvin.

“It’s been a while. Four years. Some happy moments and some not so happy moments. But that’s life,” added Elbaz at an Italian lunch of sundried tomatoes, mozzarella and cold cuts held deep inside the Palais de Tokyo.

“Diego and I share a love of food and of double-breasted jackets you cannot quite close,” cracked Elbaz, legendary for his deadpan wit.

Hence the name: Tod’s Happy Moments, where Elbaz' face peeps out of the O in the logo. Among the options, great new groovy moccasins, seen in drawings projected onto the wall. He also developed a new his-'n'-hers black and white pair, designed to be worn by a bride and groom.

And new sneaker, with more ergonomic sole.

“Given the traffic at shows, maybe sneakers are the new cars. All I wanted to do was change the soles at Tod’s -- not the soul of Tod’s,” quipped Elbaz.

Della Valle had introduced Elbaz in the following manner: “I want to present a new designer I discovered one month ago,” to much merriment.

“There are many new strategies and brands. We try to do something different, a new concept about having fun with fashion, concepts, design and brands,” added the Italian billionaire, who began this new collab path for the house with Alessandro Dell’Acqua last season.

Elbaz worked directly inside Tod’s factories in the eastern Marche region of Italy. “Italy is the only country in the world were you are allowed to work together if you date or get married. Everywhere else they fire you!”

The pair then staged a new Tod’s ad featuring Elbaz, ordering around junior staff; the baby executives dancing in red, white and blue moccasins.

“I am all about buzz, I’m Elbuz,” concluded Elbaz with a laugh.

In a philosophical moment he cautioned that after having lunch and dinner with scores of fashion people in his interregnum, he found many of them to be unhappy.

“For different reasons.. All we do is make everyone else happy but we are not. We are the second skin of the world and we lose our own skin,” he said to a suddenly silent room.

Alber Elbaz links up with Tod’s

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