PARIS — Loris Azzaro has appointed Maxime Simoëns artistic director, with immediate effect. Simoëns succeeds Arnaud Maillard and Alvaro Castejón, who parted ways with the house in July 2016 after three years.
The French designer will oversee the house’s couture collections, ready-to-wear lines and men’s and women’s accessories, according to a statement from the brand, with his first collection to be presented during couture week in July.
“It’s a great honor to be able to add my own vision to Loris Azzaro’s heritage. His free anti-conformist spirit, his avant-garde view of elegance and his uncompromising hedonism are great sources of inspiration for me. I’m absolutely delighted to be able to reinterpret the codes of this legendary fashion house through a strong clothing collection for men and women,” said Simoëns.
Known for his architectural, graphic silhouettes mixing cut-outs, embroidery and prints, Simoëns was hailed as a wunderkind after making the shortlist for the Hyères International Festival of Fashion and Photography in 2008, at age 25, with Bernard Arnault making an investment in the fledgling business of the young designer in 2012. He did a one-season stint as creative director at Leonard in the same year.
Since joining the official calendar in 2011, his presence has been
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