Alber Elbaz Celebrates His Birthday With a Muffin and Smashed Cake

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In sad fashion news of the week: much-beloved Lanvin creative director Albert Elbaz wins for worst resort-week birthday ever:

“It was most pathetic birthday celebration ever,” he told the intimate, EIC-heavy crowd. “I was at the Air France lounge waiting to get on the flight to New York, and the airline attendant presented me with a muffin. I think we both felt embarrassed."

And then it got worse. Once Elbaz arrived in New York, the Mercer Hotel staff surprised him with an en suite card and cake. “Except I was all alone and I didn’t want to be that person eating an entire cake by myself in a hotel room,” the maestro confessed. “So I tried to hide it, and it fell on the floor. I was too ashamed to call downstairs and ask for help with the clean-up, so I got on my knees and did it by myself.”