Lorris Azzaro - The Master Designer

By James Philips

Loris Azzaro set up his initial line in Paris in 1962 and by 1968 his business was a huge success. Born in Tunisia on February 9 1933, Azzaro was well known for the making of fascinating party dresses for the select few in the French society. His creations featured flamboyant beadwork and bold cutouts. Loris Azzaro’s collections are always named alphabetically named by season, he admitted to skipping the letters q, x and z as it was too hard to find names in favor of those letters.

The open sea became Loris Azzaro’s much-loved mode of expression and he forever and a day said that, “the blue color is the color that suits me”. Loris Azzaro found encouragement in the natural wonders of the world that is the Mediterranean, the love, the sun and the seduction. “I let myself carry by the atmosphere of the country of my childhood with his spiced odors, his colors, his flowers, his perfumes. It is the country where I become again really myself, the country where my preferred color is everywhere, azure of the sea and the sky”. His sources of inspiration were his love for the sea. He released male and female clothing lines and accessories as well as fragrances. In 1975 he created his first fragrance for woman, called ‘Couture’ this became his signature scent.

Over time Azzaro became well identified for his fragrances as much as his clothing line. In spite of his fame, Loris never designed haute fashion designer wear and was not an affiliate of the elite Chambre Syndicale - this groups the top designer’s presentation in France. In addition to Raquel Welch and Sophia Loren, Nicole Kidman, Azzaro’s creations were as well displayed via Marisa Berenson, Claudia Cardinale as well as Isabelle Adjani.

After his passing away at the age of 70 - November 20, 2003 in Paris, France - Vanessa Seward took over as head designer of the Azzaro label. The brand name continues to release clothing but is now better acknowledged for their fragrances line up. Original Loris Azzaro vintage pieces are still very much in demand.
Find Lorris Azzaro perfume and colognes on sale at Perfume Center. Read more about Lorris Azzaro perfumes