I recently sat down with clothing designer Yigal Azrouel at a trunk show in La Jolla benefiting the Ronald McDonald House. He was showing his pre-spring (2010) and fall 2011 collections
The charming Azrouel is no newbie to fashion. He launched his women’s wear line in 1998. He opened his first atelier in the Garment district in New York to such great success he was able to open a flagship boutique in 2003 in the Meatpacking district.
He was inducted into the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2004.
This Israeli born total hottie understands how to design for women with his meticulous draping, feminine, contemporary, and modern silhouettes.
R- What’s the direction you’re going in for your upcoming collection?
YA- The new line is very laid back and minimalist. I’m using a lot of blushes, whites, and vibrant color. For fall, there are lots of browns, neutrals, smoky grays, navy’s, reds, and greens.
R- What’s the one thing in your closet you can’t live without?
YA- I always wear black leather jackets, a lot of black denim, and always a scarf. Tom Cruise, Jude Law, and Brad Pitt love to wear my scarves.
R- Did the economy effect your business?
YA- No. My business got better. Women want to look better, so they feel better. I took my work to the next level.
R- So, you didn’t create your lower line for that reason?
YA-No. I created Cut25 (the official launch of Azrourl’s lower line was summer 2010), to give customers who can’t afford my other line an opportunity to try it. It’s trendier and younger.
R-What’s new on the horizon for you?
YA- I’ve got a shoe collaboration with Manolo Blahnik. The full spring shoe collection will be available in Saks in February 2011. All the shoes are handmade in Italy. I love collaborations, I collaborated with jewelry designer Pamela Love, and it was her first show.
R- Do you follow trends?
YA- Not really, but I think the trends going forward are more feminine, sexy, not-girly looks. Much stronger than I’ve seen before and with a lot of sex appeal.
R- Speaking of sex appeal….are you dating anyone special? ( I was thinking of Katie Lee, Billy Joel’s X, and supposedly the reason they ended their marriage.)
YA- A few people. I’m looking. I’m on the market (He says with a smile no woman or man could resist).
