Azature: The Dark Side of Luxury
By MARRIAM MOSSALLI, MARRIAM.MOSSALLI@ARABNEWS.COM
Sometimes it's good to be bad. Especially when being bad is submitting to the temptation of the "Black Diamond King."
Forget the Prince of Darkness. Azature, the designer behind the eponymous line, is the new master of design seducing the fashion world to be sinfully indulgent. And, frankly, this is one deadly sin that you definitely want to concede to.
The Parsons School of Design graduate has been casting his spell of jet-black beauty into the hearts of fashionistas everywhere — starting from celebrities in Hollywood and Arab royalties of the Gulf to the aristocrats of Europe and Russian high society in Moscow.
"My very first celebrity collaboration was with Rihanna. She wore Azature on multiple music videos and we ended up designing a custom piece for her World Promo Tour," explained the model-gorgeous Azature.
Ever since, celebrities have quickly begun converting to the dark side. His impressive clientele includes Beyonce, Fergie, Megan Fox, Kelly Clarkson, Scarlet Johansson, Kim Kardashian, Cindy Crawford, Zoe Saldana, Lindsay Lohan, Liv Tyler and many more. "I feel very honored to work with such extraordinary talents," he gushed.
As the premier black-diamond-focused designer, Azature is dedicated to providing his customers with high-quality, conflict-free gems. This tradition of exquisite quality goes back generations, when his great-grandfather established the family's first atelier in Beirut, Lebanon before migrating to Yerevan, Armenia in the early 1900s. In Armenia, he founded a prestigious and exclusive jewelry company under the family name.
"Offering clients access to the highest quality, most exclusive diamonds in the world, the family provided customers with the one-of-a-kind, unique pieces their hearts desired," explained Azature. "The exquisite became the standard for my grandfather who often partnered with Faberge."
All Azature pieces are comprised of gemstones from the exclusive Azature black diamond collection. "They are based on an uncompromising commitment to quality, creativity and personal attention — something that I have learned from my families' time-tested craftsmanship," stated Azature.
Today, Azature honors his family's history by creating superbly crafted jewelry with fine attention to detail. "My new twist on fine jewelry is through offering unique designs that infuse fashion within an environment that is traditionally known to be safe and stale," claimed the designer. "I sustain the Azature commitment to excellence, while updating it with a modern sensibility."
Launched in 2007, Azature's first collection of fine jewelry premiered with a pastiche of seven intricately designed pieces, including necklaces, charms and statement rings. The line introduced a luxurious new metal—a chemically developed platinum and silver combination—paired with enamel, onyx and black diamond. Less than a year later, the zealous designer added a diffusion line, A.Z. by Azature, to his portfolio. By 2008, his innovative approach to design was recognized by his peers when he was selected as a featured designer in GenArt's Fresh Faces in Fashion—the platform that is acknowledged for launching the careers of fashion gods, Zac Posen and Peter Som.
In 2009, Azature added "Azature Atelier," a black-glove, custom jewelry service, to his offerings. To present this bespoke service, Azature embarked on his Black Glove World Tour, which kicked off in Sydney, Australia and continued to stop in most metropolitan cities, such as Tokyo, Riyadh, Hong Kong, Moscow, Abu Dhabi, Los Angeles, London and New York.
"I have been so humbled by the support all over the world," stated Azature. "Azature really is a universal language." I think most women would agree; we all speak diamonds!
In September, Azature held a collaborative event in Riyadh with Harvey Nichols for his two lines: AZ for Azature and AZATURE. Seducing legions of Arab fashionistas, Azature is quickly transforming all things black and shiny into the ultimate chic.
"The Middle East is a very, very special place for me. The support I have received from the Middle East since day one has been beyond my wildest dreams," said Azature. In tribute, Azature created an exclusive limited edition collection for his Arab clientele called Lana by Azature where you can truly see his "passion for the Middle Eastern culture."
Limited Edition? Azature definitely knows his fan base because we all know "limited edition" is Arab Fashion 101! "My great grandfather was born in Middle East," explained Azature. "I have very strong cultural ties and will continue to be excited to visit every time I get the opportunity."
His designs show a unique insight of cultural richness, from the craftsmanship and mythology of ancient relics to his own dynamic heritage (Greek, Lebanese, and Armenian) and modern pop culture. Azature's aesthetic is one that combines old refinement with contemporary boldness.
"I think a lot of luxury companies still like to keep a lot of traditionalism. I want to combine the luxury aspect of my company with modern-day technology," asserted Azature.
"My designs are for those individuals who really do what they love and are the rebels of their country—they're the movers and shakers, and they want something new, something different," he added.
The definition of luxury for him is an evolution of what is unattainable and aspirational. "Luxury is no longer about the item, it's more about the feeling," explained Azature. "Once it is obtainable, I move on to the next luxury."
But, Azature isn't just redefining luxury and aesthetics; he's inciting a revolution. "The Azature
So, why should every woman indulge in her dark side? "The ultimate in luxury, black diamonds are among the most mysterious, coveted and fragile gemstones in the world. Their origins remain unknown. Research suggests that these rare stones may have formed in supernova explosions millennia ago before crashing to earth — making them truly out of this world. With so much mystery behind them... a little indulgence into her dark side, I think, is definitely worth it," said the enigmatic designer with his alluring smile and signature sparkle in his eye.
For more information, visit: www.azature.com
By MARRIAM MOSSALLI, MARRIAM.MOSSALLI@ARABNEWS.COM
Sometimes it's good to be bad. Especially when being bad is submitting to the temptation of the "Black Diamond King."
Forget the Prince of Darkness. Azature, the designer behind the eponymous line, is the new master of design seducing the fashion world to be sinfully indulgent. And, frankly, this is one deadly sin that you definitely want to concede to.
The Parsons School of Design graduate has been casting his spell of jet-black beauty into the hearts of fashionistas everywhere — starting from celebrities in Hollywood and Arab royalties of the Gulf to the aristocrats of Europe and Russian high society in Moscow.
"My very first celebrity collaboration was with Rihanna. She wore Azature on multiple music videos and we ended up designing a custom piece for her World Promo Tour," explained the model-gorgeous Azature.
Ever since, celebrities have quickly begun converting to the dark side. His impressive clientele includes Beyonce, Fergie, Megan Fox, Kelly Clarkson, Scarlet Johansson, Kim Kardashian, Cindy Crawford, Zoe Saldana, Lindsay Lohan, Liv Tyler and many more. "I feel very honored to work with such extraordinary talents," he gushed.
As the premier black-diamond-focused designer, Azature is dedicated to providing his customers with high-quality, conflict-free gems. This tradition of exquisite quality goes back generations, when his great-grandfather established the family's first atelier in Beirut, Lebanon before migrating to Yerevan, Armenia in the early 1900s. In Armenia, he founded a prestigious and exclusive jewelry company under the family name.
"Offering clients access to the highest quality, most exclusive diamonds in the world, the family provided customers with the one-of-a-kind, unique pieces their hearts desired," explained Azature. "The exquisite became the standard for my grandfather who often partnered with Faberge."
All Azature pieces are comprised of gemstones from the exclusive Azature black diamond collection. "They are based on an uncompromising commitment to quality, creativity and personal attention — something that I have learned from my families' time-tested craftsmanship," stated Azature.
Today, Azature honors his family's history by creating superbly crafted jewelry with fine attention to detail. "My new twist on fine jewelry is through offering unique designs that infuse fashion within an environment that is traditionally known to be safe and stale," claimed the designer. "I sustain the Azature commitment to excellence, while updating it with a modern sensibility."
Launched in 2007, Azature's first collection of fine jewelry premiered with a pastiche of seven intricately designed pieces, including necklaces, charms and statement rings. The line introduced a luxurious new metal—a chemically developed platinum and silver combination—paired with enamel, onyx and black diamond. Less than a year later, the zealous designer added a diffusion line, A.Z. by Azature, to his portfolio. By 2008, his innovative approach to design was recognized by his peers when he was selected as a featured designer in GenArt's Fresh Faces in Fashion—the platform that is acknowledged for launching the careers of fashion gods, Zac Posen and Peter Som.
In 2009, Azature added "Azature Atelier," a black-glove, custom jewelry service, to his offerings. To present this bespoke service, Azature embarked on his Black Glove World Tour, which kicked off in Sydney, Australia and continued to stop in most metropolitan cities, such as Tokyo, Riyadh, Hong Kong, Moscow, Abu Dhabi, Los Angeles, London and New York.
"I have been so humbled by the support all over the world," stated Azature. "Azature really is a universal language." I think most women would agree; we all speak diamonds!
In September, Azature held a collaborative event in Riyadh with Harvey Nichols for his two lines: AZ for Azature and AZATURE. Seducing legions of Arab fashionistas, Azature is quickly transforming all things black and shiny into the ultimate chic.
"The Middle East is a very, very special place for me. The support I have received from the Middle East since day one has been beyond my wildest dreams," said Azature. In tribute, Azature created an exclusive limited edition collection for his Arab clientele called Lana by Azature where you can truly see his "passion for the Middle Eastern culture."
Limited Edition? Azature definitely knows his fan base because we all know "limited edition" is Arab Fashion 101! "My great grandfather was born in Middle East," explained Azature. "I have very strong cultural ties and will continue to be excited to visit every time I get the opportunity."
His designs show a unique insight of cultural richness, from the craftsmanship and mythology of ancient relics to his own dynamic heritage (Greek, Lebanese, and Armenian) and modern pop culture. Azature's aesthetic is one that combines old refinement with contemporary boldness.
"I think a lot of luxury companies still like to keep a lot of traditionalism. I want to combine the luxury aspect of my company with modern-day technology," asserted Azature.
"My designs are for those individuals who really do what they love and are the rebels of their country—they're the movers and shakers, and they want something new, something different," he added.
The definition of luxury for him is an evolution of what is unattainable and aspirational. "Luxury is no longer about the item, it's more about the feeling," explained Azature. "Once it is obtainable, I move on to the next luxury."
But, Azature isn't just redefining luxury and aesthetics; he's inciting a revolution. "The Azature
lifestyle is about no boundaries and no regrets," stated the provocative designer. "You wear exactly what you want to wear; there are no rules to break. After all, there is an icon in each and every one of us. Azature is about escaping judgment and having faith in the essential beauty of every person."
So, why should every woman indulge in her dark side? "The ultimate in luxury, black diamonds are among the most mysterious, coveted and fragile gemstones in the world. Their origins remain unknown. Research suggests that these rare stones may have formed in supernova explosions millennia ago before crashing to earth — making them truly out of this world. With so much mystery behind them... a little indulgence into her dark side, I think, is definitely worth it," said the enigmatic designer with his alluring smile and signature sparkle in his eye.
For more information, visit: www.azature.com
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