Joyce Azria Launches Solo Label
Every young bird must leave the nest.
Joyce Azria, swimwear designer for BCBGMaxAzria and daughter of Max Azria, has left the company to launch her own line of better contemporary ready-to-wear called Joyaan: Pret-A-Porter De Luxe.
“It’s luxury ready-to-wear,” explained the 22-year-old designer, the eldest of Max Azria’s five daughters. “It’s a new niche that lies between better contemporary and the lower end of designer with price points that flirt with affordable and inaccessible.”
Azria designed BCBG Swim for three years before launching her new company two months ago in a 5,000-square-foot industrial warehouse in Vernon, Calif. The new space is about one block away from BCBG, whose portfolio includes better contemporary label BCBG, better juniors label To The Max and French couture label Herve Leger. The company also produces Parallel, a young contemporary private-label collection sold exclusively at JCPenney stores.
“I’m just trying to do what my dad did 13 years ago, when he penetrated the contemporary market,” she explained. “I’m going to target the market between contemporary and designer to create elegant daywear to evening attire. It blends together classic subtlety and modern ambition. It’s a line for 21st-century women.”
Azria will head up the design department, and her assistant, Jean Wong, will handle sourcing and production. But Azria said it is not above her to occasionally seek advice from her dad about fashion trends and production.
“He’s so wonderful and supportive of my decision to start my own line,” Azria said. “It’s a different market from BCBG, and it’s better that I get that market than someone else.”
Joyaan will feature a mix of elegant and casual styles. The line targets a broad range of women between the ages of 18 and 50 with flattering silhouettes and highend fabrications, Azria said.
The line’s fabrications include luxurious silks such as charmeuse and ombreacute; crinkled chiffon in a color palette of litchi, coral, regal navy, black, sorbet and canary. The line also features elegant details such as glass beads and delicate gold chains.
With Spring deliveries beginning in March, the line’s initial offering of 20 looks includes a four-pocket silk blazer with hook-and-eye details and matching silk trousers, a charmeuse halter dress with chain details around the neck, and a Mandarin-collar sheath mini-dress with crinkled chiffon pockets. “Each piece is soft and has a lot of movement,” Azria said.
The young designer also dabbled in denim with a pair of “nouveau luxury” denim jeans with an exposed gold zipper that will retail for $300.
Retail price points will range from $148 to $990. The company is targeting better specialty boutiques in Los Angeles and will launch a larger marketing effort sometime next year, said Natalie Mense, sales director.
Azria anticipates the ready-towear line will generate sales between $3 million and $4 million in its first year.
Proud father Max Azria is enthusiastic about his daughter’s new venture.
“What can I say? She’s beautiful, wonderful and she’s a genius! I’m so excited and proud,” he said.
For more information, call (323) 277-5278, or visit www.joyaan.com. —Claudia Figueroa
