Iconic fashion designer Alber Elbaz died Saturday of COVID-19, his current employers at fashion company Richemont said in a statement. The Moroccan-born Elbaz, best known for his work with luxury fashion brands like Yves Saint Laurent and Lanvin, was 59. “Alber had a richly deserved reputation as one of the industry’s brightest and most beloved figures,” said Richemont chairman Johann Rupert. “He was a man of exceptional warmth and talent.” Elbaz had immigrated to Israel as a small child and attended the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design. After working at Yves Saint Laurent, he became the creative director at Lanvin, a position he held for 14 years, during which time he garnered critical acclaim. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo tweeted that Elbaz was “a talented, generous man, loved Paris so much and will be missed.”