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Great Outfits in Fashion History: Kerry Washington in Alber Elbaz-Era Lanvin

One of his many excellent cocktail dresses.

There are perfectly good celebrity style moments, and then there are the looks that really stick with you, the ones you try desperately to recreate at home. In ‘Great Outfits in Fashion History,’ Fashionista editors are revisiting their all-time favorite lewks.

Since his passing, we’ve seen many in the fashion industry reflect on Alber Elbaz‘s impact not only on the brands he worked for throughout his illustrious career, but also on style more broadly — the silhouettes he revitalized, the trends he originated, the ideas he pushed forward that now shaped how we dress (not to mention, his joyous approach to everything). Naturally, that’s opened the door to reminiscing on his most beloved collections and red-carpet moments, of which there are many, especially from his decade-plus at Lanvin. 

Elbaz’s tenure at the French fashion house was characterized by an approach to femininity and elegance that never compromised on ease. That magic is arguably best captured by his excellent cocktail dresses, which were a mainstay in his collections, season after season, and beloved among clientele and celebrities alike. Kerry Washington wore one of said excellent cocktail dresses to a dinner thrown in her honor by Elle and Tod’s in New York City in 2013, and the look epitomizes what made his vision so special. 

The silhouette, from the brand’s Pre-Fall 2013 line, is clean and simple. The stunning mauve satin fabric is cut to knee-length, with no embellishment other than a ruffled bow on its one shoulder. It’s sophisticated, but not stuffy or overdone — i.e. perfect exactly what you want from a cocktail dress and perfect attire for a sit-down dinner with editors, fellow actors (including some of her fellow “Scandal” cast and then-“Suits” star Meghan Markle!) and other well-dressed folks. 

Inspired by Elbaz, shop little black cocktail dresses in the gallery, below. 

AZ Factory MyBody One-shoulder Bow-detailed Stretch-knit Mini Dress, $1,140, available here (sizes XS-XL). 

View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article

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Source: Fashionista.com

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