Azzaro is in a transitional phase. In October, creative director Mathilde Castello Branco stepped down after only two seasons with the brand; a successor has not yet been named. This collection was designed by the in-house team, and the focus was explicitly on honoring the Loris Azzaro "codes"—crystal and chain, slinkiness and bared skin. Basically, Azzaro designed for the woman who was the life of the party. One thing about being the life of the party that Castello Branco got, as did Vanessa Seward before her, is that glitter and sex appeal won't get you very far unless they come accompanied by a punchy attitude and a good sense of humor. There's a great Helmut Newton photograph, from 1973, of a woman in an Azzaro crystal strass top throwing a glass of champagne at a woman dressed in the same outfit; you could scarcely imagine the woman in the Azzaro looks presented today having the sass to pull that move. This was pretty much glam by the numbers, with a smattering of stronger looks. Hollywood stylists will undoubtedly pick up on the grayish-mauve dress detailed with grosgrain ribbon and floral crystal embroidery, for instance. And a draped gown in a gold and black floral jacquard boasted a nice sense of drama—more of that fabric would have been welcome here. All in all, though, this Azzaro outing felt undirected. Which, for all intents and purposes, it was.
