Azzaro recruits two socialites for capsule couture collection

By

Dominique Muret

Translated by
Susan Spies

Published
Jan 9, 2017

Azzaro intends to celebrate its first half-century in style. The fashion house, founded in 1967 by Loris Azzaro and acquired in 2006 by the Reig Capital Group, is marking its 50th anniversary with a birthday collection, to be unveiled on January 25, Place Vendôme, during Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris.
 

The luxury brand has been under the direction of Gabriel de Linage since September 2016 and will be announcing the appointment of a new creative director very soon.

The house has tapped two jet-set socialites to revisit the history of its glamorous past, starting with Italian Bianca Brandolini d'Adda, daughter of the Brazilian designer-muse Georgina Brandolini d'Adda and the grandaughter of Cristiana Agnelli and Count Brandolino d’Adda. She has taken turns as the face of labels such as Cartier, Dolce & Gabbana and Sergio Rossi, collaborated on a shoe line with the latter, and is a regular front-row fixture at fashion shows.

The other socialite recruit is the Greek Eugenie Niarchos, creator of the brand Venyx jewelry, which she launched in 2013, and heir to the wealthy shipowner Stavors Niarchos. She has collaborated on two jewelry collections for Azzaro when it was still under the reins of Vanessa Seward as creative director.

Azzaro has chosen the two young women because they "are both fervent admirers of the house. Eugenie Niarchos has twice collaborated with the Azarro's Paris workshops for her first well-received jewelry line, while Bianca Brandolini is a collector of designs from vintage brand, which she wears with great elegance and casual flair," said the house in a statement.

According to Azarro, the two jet-setters will bring "their contemporary vision to major iconic designs of the house," mining the label's archives for inspiration. Meanwhile, Azzaro will be appearing on the big screen in the film Dalida de Lisa Azuelos, for which it created some of the dresses worn by the famous singer in the biopic.

Azzaro has been without a designer since June, when former artistic directors Arnaud Maillard and Alvaro left their roles after three years with the house.