WATCH: Alber Elbaz Skypes Into Lanvin’s Spring Campaign Video

by Hilary George-Parkin | 11:24 am, February 1st, 2013

With designers like Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, and more dividing their time between New York and Paris, we’re sure Skype consultations are on the rise, but this is probably the first time the web-based calling service has made such a high fashion cameo.

According to WWD, Hurricane Sandy and endless fittings meant that Alber Elbaz was stuck in Paris while Steven Meisel was photographing Lanvin‘s spring campaign, but the designer leant his discerning eye to the shoot via video chat. Elbaz pops up (quite literally) in the video, aptly titled “I Wish I Was There,” to admire Karlie Kloss, Saskia de Brauw and Daria Strokous languidly posing on a leafy patio.

“There is something very California about the whole campaign,” he says from his little box in the lefthand corner.

Indeed, it’s a bit of a departure from last season’s “real people” campaign fronted by an eclectic cast including a drag queen, a philanthropist, and an octogenarian ex-Apollo dancer, but, true to form, Elbaz lends his irreverent touch to the high fashion milieu.

Watch the video and see the print ads below: