Joseph Altuzarra
Joseph Altuzarra
Joseph Altuzarra is a luxury women's ready-to-wear clothing designer. He launched his brand, Altuzarra, in New York in 2008. His brand is influenced by his multicultural upbringing and his international education in fashion...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionDesigner
CountryFrance
dream fashion strong
There's a side to me that likes to make clothes for everyday. But I also think of fashion as an escape. It's like a dream. It shouldn't always be practical and about real life. Sometimes you have to do a piece that has a bit more of a wow-almost like, “I don't know who's going to wear that. It's almost too much.” That's a lot of what fashion is about. Even in an economy that isn't strong and where it's important to sell clothes, you have to make things that let people dream a little, you know?
fashion guiding-principles target
One of the guiding principles of Altuzarra is that fashion can be transformative, changing not just the way you look, but also the way you feel. By partnering with Target, we hope to bring that same experience to a much broader range of women.
fashion architecture aesthetic
In architecture and interiors, as well as fashion, there is an interaction that is both functional and aesthetic.
fashion believe school
I was also very lucky to be able to work with talented people while I was learning. I didn't actually go to fashion school. I worked with Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy which was a really pivotal experience for me. He taught me a lot about being faithful to your own voice and to really believe in your own voice and that's made a big difference.
fashion school kids
I was not a very popular kid in high school, and I had this idea that the way that I dressed would change how liked I was. It was that kind of Pygmalion story. I think, ultimately that's probably why I became interested in fashion, its transformative power, and how it can change your identity.
fashion exercise intellectual
The best and the worst thing about fashion is that anyone can do it. But because fashion can be the most unintellectual thing, you have to turn it into an intellectual exercise just for your own sanity. You have to start with a conceit.
fashion ideas important
It's important not to take all this fashion stuff too seriously, and I kind of love the idea of cheesiness.
biggest pet spend spending thinking time
One of my biggest pet peeves is well-dressed designers. If you spend that much time thinking about your own clothes, you're not spending enough time thinking about what you're designing.
assistant direction french picking taste time
I'm always fetishizing the French woman and French taste and style. My assistant will make fun of me because every time we're picking the direction of a collection, I say the same thing: 'I want it to be really French.'
age early exposed knew point
When you live in Paris, and fashion is such a point of pride for the French, it's always around and you're very much exposed to it from an early age. It was always something I knew about and really liked.
clothes designers hopefully hype people saving saying
We're making clothes - we aren't saving the world. I'm not saying that designers aren't artists, but at the end of the day, we make clothes. Hopefully we make beautiful clothes with a message, but in the end it's for people to wear. I think that the hype of fashion has come down a level.
buy items ways wear women worn
I think women want to feel beautiful. They want to feel seductive. I also try to think about items that can be worn in different ways so they can be worn more than once. If you're going to buy a $2,000 jacket, you are going to want to wear it over and over.
music
I always listen to music while I draw.
bringing buying encouraged interested love
My mother has always encouraged me to do what I love. When I started being interested in fashion, she was very supportive, bringing me to see exhibits and buying me books. And when I started my company, she was right there to help me!