Loris Azzaro
Loris Azzaro (1933). French designer. His dresses glowing with red sequins, the transparent and pleated draped bodices, have been instruments of seduction for many stars. Rachel Welch, Marisa Berenson, Claudia Cardinale, Joan Collins, Isabelle Adjani worn Azzaro’s creations between the 1970s and early 1980s.
Born in Tunisia of Italian parents, he made his début in Paris in 1962, creating, for a group of friends only, sparkling accessories of lurex and sequins. But it was only in 1968 that he became famous thanks to an open-work dress that appeared in every fashion magazine. From that moment, he became the symbol of a certain overdressed elegance, played out on showy and colorful creations, certainly influenced by the culture of his native land.
The perfume collection
In 1974 he launched a perfume, the first in a series of successful fragrances that sold extremely well, with 10% of the world market for men’s perfumes. The firm hires the young designer Jérome Dreyfuss to make its couture more dynamic. The investment company Frey, specialized in real estate and wine, buys a majority stake in Azzaro. In line with the firm’s usual practice, the terms of the agreement are not disclosed.
By 1996, a new fragrance for men is created, bursting with enveloping freshness: Chrome. On the strength of its success, the fragrance, which is first sold exclusively in France, soon conquers the United States and the rest of the world.
In 2003, after suffering from cancer, Loris Azzaro passed away at the age of 70. Over the period that follows, the Azzaro brand pursues its fashion business with guidance from various artistic directors.
The brand after Loris Azzaro
Ten years later, in 2013, for the Couture, Arnaud Maillard and Alvaro Castejón take on the brand’s artistic direction as a team, to modernize it while retaining the highest respect for its heritage and identity. In 2016, Azzaro Fragrances reinvented its image through a new creation inspired by the values of its creator Loris Azzaro: Azzaro Wanted, celebrates free, lively, and joyful youth. A woody, citrus, and spicy Eau de Toilette with an elegant and captivating trail.
Three years after the brand’s rejuvenation, in 2019, a new chapter of the Wanted Saga had begun with the arrival of Wanted Girl. This feminine alter-ego has made elegance and flamboyance a lifestyle. More desirable and addictive than ever, this Floral Oriental Gourmand Eau de Parfum is an ode to the untamable beauty whose trail impacts everyone.
In January 2020, the Azzaro Couture Spring 2020, created by Azzaro’s atelier, was inspired by the house’s past, “all the sensual and daring attitude…with a futuristic feeling,” said Gabriel de Linage, the brand’s chief executive officer. The sparkle the label is known for shined bright, with beads and sequins creating otherworldly flower shapes and spangling dresses and suit jackets. Silhouettes ranged from long to short, body-hugging to billowy, with a plethora of dresses.
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