Loris Azzaro (9 February 1933 – 20 November 2003) was a French-Italian fashion designer. He rose to prominence in the 1960s with his flamboyant dresses and he went on to become well known for his perfumes.

Early life and career

Loris Azzaro was born to Italian parents in

Tunis, Tunisia Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...

on 9 February 1933. He spent his childhood and teenage years in Tunis. In 1957, Azzaro met his future wife Michelle Carsy, who became his muse and he designed accessories for her. Azzaro studied in

Toulouse, France Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...

. He was teaching French and Italian in Tunis before he relocated to

Paris, France Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

in 1962.

''Azzaro''

Early years

In 1965, Azzaro opened his first workshop, designing bags, belts, and embroidered tops. In 1967, Azzaro opened his boutique at 65

Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré The Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré () is a street located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France. Relatively narrow and nondescript, especially in comparison to the nearby Champs-Élysées, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, it is cited as being on ...

. He presented his first couture collection at the

Grand Hôtel de París Grand Hôtel de París was a hotel located in the eastern part of the Puerta del Sol, central Madrid, Spain. After the first reforms occurred in 1860, a building was built which was originally called the "Fonde de Paris".Peter Besas, (2009), ''"Hi ...

. In 1968, Azzaro's Anneau dress worn by

Marisa Berenson Vittoria Marisa Schiaparelli Berenson (born February 15, 1947) is an American actress and former model. She appeared on the front covers of '' Vogue'' and ''Time'', and won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress for her ...

was featured on the cover of ''

Elle Elle may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Elle (magazine), ''Elle'' (magazine), a fashion publication ** Elle Style Awards * Elle (India), ''Elle'' (India), the Indian edition * Elle (film), ''Elle'' (film), a 2016 French film * ''Elle: ...

'' magazine. Soon, actresses

Brigitte Bardot Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a French former actress, singer, and model as well as an animal rights activist. Famous for portraying characters with Hedonism, hedonistic life ...

Jane Birkin Jane Mallory Birkin ( ; 14 December 1946 – 16 July 2023) was a British and French actress, singer, and designer. She had a prolific career as an actress, mostly in French cinema. A native of London, Birkin began her career as an actress, ...

Sophia Loren Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone (; born 20 September 1934), known professionally as Sophia Loren ( , ), is an Italian actress, active in her native country and the United States. With a career spanning over 70 years, she is one of the ...

, and

Raquel Welch Jo Raquel Welch (; September 5, 1940 – February 15, 2023) was an American actress. Welch first gained attention for her role in ''Fantastic Voyage'' (1966), after which she signed a long-term contract with 20th Century Fox. They lent her con ...

were wearing his designs.

Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...

wore Loris Azzaro dresses often as stage costumes in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She appeared on the cover of publications such as ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' and ''

Ebony Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus '' Diospyros'', which also includes the persimmon tree. A few ''Diospyros'' species, such as macassar and mun ebony, are dense enough to sink in water. Ebony is fin ...

'' wearing his dresses. Despite his popularity, Azzaro never designed

haute couture (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design. The term ''haute couture'' generally refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the ...

clothing and was not a member of the

Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Chambre (French for ''chamber'') may refer to: * Chambre des Pairs * Chambre des Députés * Chambre de bonne * Chambre introuvable * Valet de chambre * Chambre Ardente People with the surname * Alan Chambré * Calcot Chambre See also * Chamb ...

. In the 1970s, Azzaro launched fragrance brands for men and women. He added menswear to his fashion repertoire in 1992. In 2002, Compagnie Frey bought the Azzaro fashion house to expand its luxury division.

After Azzaro's death

Since 2006, Azzaro has been owned by Reig Capital Group. Since the house’s founder passed away in 2003, Azzaro has been led by a series of designers, including

Vanessa Seward Vanessa Seward is a French fashion designer. Early life and education Seward was born in Argentina in 1969, where her father was an Argentine diplomat who worked as an economic advisor. She grew up in London before moving to Paris at age 12 with ...

(2003–2011), Mathilde Castello Branco (2011–2012), the duo of Arnaud Maillard and Alvaro Castejón (2013–2017), Maxime Simoëns (2017–2019) and

Olivier Theyskens Olivier Theyskens (; born January 4, 1977) is a Belgian fashion designer who has worked with major design houses, including Rochas, Nina Ricci and Theory. Early life Theyskens was born to a Belgian chemical engineer and a French homemaker. Th ...

(since 2020). The brand was relaunched in 2017, when the house celebrated its 50th anniversary. From 2019, Azzaro staged coed couture shows.

Other activities

At Baselworld in 2007, Azzaro launched its first jewelry line, done under license with Gay Frères.Robert Murphy (1 March 2007)
Azzaro Sets Ambitious Plan
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Women's Wear Daily ''Women's Wear Daily'' (also known as ''WWD'') is a fashion-industry trade journal often referred to as the "Bible of fashion". Horyn, Cathy"Breaking Fashion News With a Provocative Edge" ''The New York Times''. (August 20, 1999). It provides i ...

''.

Death

Azzaro died from cancer at the age of 70 on 20 November 2003. He was survived by his wife Michelle Azzaro, two children, Beatrice Azzaro and Catherine Azzaro, and three grandchildren. His daughter Beatrice Azzaro ran his company, Couture Loris Azzaro.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Azzaro, Loris 1933 births 2003 deaths People from Tunis French fashion designers Pieds-noirs