A Z of Entertainment
By Jo Phillips
Its been over five years since the world of fashion has been able to gush over creations by the Casablanca born, Israeli designer Alber Elbaz. When he left his post as head of Lavin many were in shock, many were a little broken-hearted after all his creations for the brand were universally loved from the fashion press to fashion buyers to red carpet needing celebrities. He was universally loved, adored, and admired. Happily for all, a couple of days ago he came back to the world of fashion with the most magnificent bolt of lighting. Find out more in A Z of Entertainment
The time out for him was really a time to ponder and contemplate, which is the fast world of fashion is near impossible. Many designers we know have breakdowns, burnouts, or dismissals for too many collections per season to design for not seemingly to create enough profit for their firms.
But walking away (as many have done) completely is practically the only way to get headspace from such a frantic world, whether it be by choice or dismissal from these golden positions.
Elbaz said: “I needed to take time to fall in love with fashion again. I needed to take the time to think, to take the time to dream, and I went back to the past, I questioned the present, and I tried to imagine the future”.
The intense pressure cooker that is fashion has only had the heat turned up with the advent of covid, but the temperature was on its way to boiling point from the time fashion, a very 3D activity was forced into the 2D world of the internet.
Maybe Alber Elbaz is maybe, the first one to come with a really different approach. He says “So, I left fashion, but I didn’t leave the industry. I was travelling all over the world, but one visit to silicon valley made me dream again. I asked myself after this trip can tradition and technology co-exist? Is fashion still relevant today? And, you know what the answer is yes, a big, big yes because when things aren’t great we need fashion.”
And it’s fair to say that would be a big fat YES from those working in the industry, after all, outside of dressing, fashion has a majorly important role in disrupting, and let’s be honest we have had little of that in recent years.
Let’s welcome A to Z factory (the beginning and ending letters of his name) which is a digital fashion entertainment site, say catwalk meets an entertainment show. Wednesday’s launch live on Net a Porter, Youtube and Instagram was a 30-minute slot with Albez interviewing women such as Rachel Koo, food presenter, and chef, Actor Kristin Scott Thomas, Camille Razat, and Charli Howard, as they discussed what makes us happy in fashion, science, and body positivity as well as Alber presenting films from the collection. He talked of what he felt, after his break, women really need and want in a new covid, digital world.
A to Z is exactly the type of disruption the fashion industry really needs, a big step where luxury fashion melds with digital entertainment.
Albez says:- “it isn’t my comeback, we are a factory and a laboratory and we are starting small – AZ it is about one story at a time, it is not about collections, it is definitely not about capsules…it’s stories and projects.”
So to start out there is a collection based on the most iconic item in many a women’s wardrobes, the little black dress. Called MyBody
“We are on a journey to design beautiful, purposeful, solutions-driven fashion that works for everyone. The line aims to reinvent the core wardrobe staples. We design beautiful, practical, and solutions-driven fashion that works for everyone,”. Our products are here to solve problems and create joy. Help, not hinder.”
So these dresses are anatomical and shaped to emphasise natural curves, using AnatoKnit, a specially engineered knitwear composed of Enka Viscose and Lycra that gently shapes the woman’s silhouette yet providing support and comfort.
It will hold you in all the right places yet is not hard-corseted, but soft boning in the back with a selection of different silhouettes over a range for different body shapes, and AZ Factory is far more size-inclusive, with sizing ranging from XXS to 4XL. Long zips inspired by wetsuits allow single ladies to be able to zip themselves up.
The dress and separates collection is available now, alongside statement jewellrey pieces, genius pointed sneakers (to elongate the leg as high heels do), and silk scarves. Other collections that will be launching over the next few months. These include SuperTechSuperChic, Switchwear, and Switchwear Pajamas.
Super tech-Super Chic’ is a collection of activewear that has been elevated by the use of couture fabrics and techniques.
A couture touch reflective more than any of the other lines reflective of past work from Alber, elegant yet playful, at, let’s be honest, a fraction of the price.
The inspiration for the product story, ’Switchwear’ available later this spring, came from the idea of leisurewear to dressed to impress in under a minute.
The modular collection features bodysuits, hoodies, and luxury Duchess satin add-ons made from recycled yarn.
A collection of multi-purpose items purposefully built for the modern world we now live in. The flexibility we know we never knew before.
The other collection to come in the series is the SwithcwearPajamas made from luxury silk created for both sleeping and dancing, after all, it is your choice what you do at night.
The first designs have been made in collaboration with several artists and designers. The designs echo fun and frivolity many in a pop art style.
The MyBody collection, comes in sizes XXS to 4XL, a real step to breaking the sizism of luxury clothing. Available to purchase now on Farfetch and Net-a-Porter exclusively, with the other capsules set to drop later this spring. All NFC-enabled much needed with the growth of things like Samsung, and google play.
These are clothes that are really about ensuring women feel good whilst creating smart solutions needed in a world that is moving in the most unexpected ways. Flexibility in a physical sense as well as a digital sense.
The last word to our hero; Welcome home Alber, we all missed you SO much
We are on a journey to design beautiful, purposeful, solutions-driven fashion that works for everyone. We are life, not just lifestyle, a place to experiment and try new things, our way. – Alber Elbaz
