Last Thursday, when I dined with my friend Lucienne, deputy fashion director of magazine [Jessica] at The Frites. Current fashion affair was of course on the table alongside the mussel and fish & chips that we ordered. We spoke about the power and coolness of [VogueParis], the stylish people on scene during the fashion week, Emmanuelle Alt, how we don’t appreciate Anna Dello Russo’s, as well as denim and glitz, etc etc. I made my view and suggested to her about Chris Benz. Then I find myself once again slaughtering Valentino’s way of treating Alessandra Facchinetti and the rumour about candidate Giambattista Valli, whose hideous designs and infamous courtship to socialites we both find uncool about and despise. On a contrary, there’s one brand which creations we both admire, and the gesture and appreciation between the brand, its designer, clientele and fanbase is mutual and harmonic and real.

The brand being Azzaro.

Coquettish and futuristic has been around  and dominating the scene since 2004, with the rise of Nicolas Ghesquière, Alber Elbaz, Stefano Pilati and Olivier Theyskens; and later with Riccardo Tisci and Christopher Decarnin, Sexiness has gradually been dismissed. With the creativity of Vanessa Seward, Azzaro has been back with its 70s glam DNA for a couple of years now. They fill the gap of modern elegant sexiness that’s missing in the last 5 years and survived. They might not have the one-hit wonder or any it-bags, certainly have no hip factor whatsoever; but having Seward’s designs secured the right crop of B.Y.T., works just as fine and as appropriate. Recently, they asked British heiress Jemima Khan, the big sister of all heiress, to become the face of their iconic parfum Azzaro Couture (1st launched by founder Loris Azzaro in 1975). Such cooperation led to another crossover.

Azzaro, as a fashion house operates in a small scale and re-building, slowly but surely- succeeded. All due to them running with heart and without being bully or aggressive, that to me is class, and it shows. If you are interested to see their SS09 collection video and the AW08′s to die for accessories, click on their newly revamped website.