Max Azria

Beneath Max Azria's debonair 50-something allure, lies a stylist who knew how, in the space of 20 years, to create a veritable textile empire. He has no hesitations about going from New York's Fashion Week to the prêt-a-porter Carrefour (similar to Wallmart but with a supermarket included) collections. Azria, a Tunisian immigrant, has succeeded in imposing his upper-class style at the heart of the Hollywood aristocracy, without profitable yet less-elitist projects. His is an American success story.

Azria began at the age of 13 when he left his native Tunisia for France. He settled in Paris' Sentier neighborhood and quickly developed a passion for the world of textiles. He launched his own clothing line at the age of 20; for the following 10 years, he worked hard, without much success, to spread his own vision of fashion.

He decided to risk everything and leave for the U.S. Wanting to decentralize the fashion world, which at that time revolved around New York, he went to the West Coast. Understanding the influence of Hollywood stars on women's dressing habits, the stylist chose to create his brand in California, at the heart of the star-system.

In 1989, Azria and his wife launched 2 brands: Max Azria Collection and BCBG Max Azria. The former combines classical luxury and timeless elegance, whereas the latter is more accessible, mixing the typically American idea of easy wear with the French image of the Bon Chic Bon Genre, or the preppy look. He quickly opened a boutique in Los Angeles that from the beginning attracted many clients.

Drawn by the famous "Frenchy" aura, Americans rush to Azria to acquire a bit of that European elegance that so many dream about, even more so as the prices rendered this luxury accessible. Nothing more was needed to assure his success.

Azria, an ambitious businessman on top of being an inspired stylist, launched a men's line in the 1990s, then concentrated his efforts on having showbiz stars appear in his creations.

Despite his commercial success, Azria was determined to convince the fashion world of his legitimacy, and in 1996, he showed during New York's Fashion Week. The critics could have slowed this self-made man's rise to success; instead, they could not praise him enough and cleared his path to glory. The same year, he was elected Best Designer of the Year in Atlanta, before being recognized two years later by the selective CFDA.

Nothing else stood in the way of Azria, now in his forties. He increased his advertising campaigns for BCBG and Max Azria Collection, developed numerous annex lines and even overtook other houses. He set his sights on the French brand Hervé Léger, quickly making it one of the chosen brands for young Hollywood stars.

Due to his range of lines that reached all of society's strata, his profits multiplied and he gradually wove together a veritable Max Azria lifestyle. Teenage girls found heir hearts' desire at BCBGirls, where they bought the latest pink baby doll as well as perfume, whereas the sportswear enthusiasts found what they needed at To The Max. Parallel, in addition, proposed casual and easy-to-wear collections.

Azria also worked on his showbiz contacts in order to reach a larger public. In the beginning, he succeeded in dressing TV personalities such as Rachel from Friends, Brenda from Beverly Hills 90210 and Ally McBeal; today, he proposes to undertake the young Miley Cyrus as she designs her own clothing line.

Azria's genius is in his ability to satisfy different kinds of women, from teenage fans of Hannah Montana to stars such as Diane Kruger and Angelina Jolie, and including the 40-year-old housewife. Ready for any challenge, in 2007 he accepted the offer to create collections for Tex, the Carrefour textile brand (a collaboration that would end in 2009).

Far from doing him harm, this diversification brings him luck: as a competitor of Calvin Klein, he can be proud of his 9-figure gross profits; he is very happily married to his wife and partner; he owns several sumptuous villas, capable of welcoming his six children; he is well-respected by the fashion's supreme justices.