Yigal Azrouel relaunches atelier and store at 26 Grand Street in Soho – WWD

Yigal Azrouel is back in the fashion business with a new store and atelier at 26 Grand Street in New York’s SoHo neighborhood.

The Israeli-born designer, who previously had boutiques in the Meatpacking District, Madison Avenue and 60 Grand Street, opened the store last month.

“These are a lot of unique pieces. I need to learn to see how customers react to it,” Azrouel said in an interview at the store.

During the pandemic, Azrouel said he had to close his business and the previous store at 60 Grand St. except for online orders, and is only now reopening his business. Most of his business is done through this new location and his website, yigal-azrouel.com. He also does some exclusive work for Saks Fifth Avenue.

The new 1,500-square-foot store was a leather goods workshop in the 1800s. Azroel retained the exposed brick and pipes. “That’s my aesthetic,” he said. About half of the space is occupied by a studio, and the other half by retail space. There is also an open area.

“I do my design here. We make samples and work on fabric development. I’m known for creating my own fabric,” said Azrouel, who has been in business for 27 years and has built a reputation for his minimalist and modern architectural designs. His designs have been worn by Greta Gerwig, Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and Gal Gadot.

Azrouel’s craftsmanship emphasizes texture and quality. Some of his fall styles are made from mesh fabric and feature clear and black stone detailing, and some of his dresses are body-hugging. Featuring patent leather front and woven back trousers, wool gabardine bag trousers with distressed lambskin trim and leather detailing at the knees, a long Japanese mesh dress, lambskin leather bombers and handmade mesh cropped sweaters.

Azrouel said he is known for his leather and created his own leather from crack cocaine. He makes everything in New York from fabrics imported from Italy and Japan. “We are a sustainable company. We use all recycled leather and recycled fur,” he said. He also collaborates with artists.

The store has a mix of styles. About 70 percent of the store’s offerings are women’s clothing and 30 percent men’s clothing. Some denim items and a khaki trench coat are already sold out. His fall collection includes Japanese denim as well as vintage denim made from recycled materials.

Walking through the store, Azrouel noted some key items such as leather jackets, tailored jackets with detachable sleeves, stretch leather trousers, a reversible shearling jacket and the signature paper bag trousers that can be worn with a denim jacket: “The moto jacket is very good for us. This is very high quality,” he added. He also sells sweaters, including hand-knitted and crocheted ones. In addition to ready-to-wear, Azrouel sells shoes and cashmere scarves.

Sizes range from 0 to 14.

“We do very well in sportswear, jackets, trousers and dresses. People like outerwear,” he said. The collection’s retail price ranges from $500 to $5,000. Azrouel projects he will make between $3 million and $4 million in the store’s first year of operation.

Azrouel said he is self-funded and after a break (which he said was badly needed), he is starting from scratch. His previous diffuse line Cut25 from Yigal Azrouel has closed.

Azrouel said he also appears in many shows and works with charities. “The idea of ​​giving back is part of what I like to do,” Azrouel said.

The new location marks the first time his studio will be located in the same location as his retail store, which is open seven days a week.

He is delighted that both are in the same place. “I use it as a client interaction tool. I learn about new products and test new things,” he said. There is also space in the rear for working with private clients. Azrouël offers made-to-order products and caters to special requests, ensuring fast processing of individual orders.

Azrouel has already participated in catwalk shows and has no intention of returning to the catwalk. “As for me, I don’t want to make any statements. It’s not about the show. It’s about making beautiful clothes, making customers happy and having a solid business,” he said.