Azzaro was founded by a French-Italian designer called Loris Azzaro, who was born in Tunisia in 1933. During his younger years, Azzaro embarked on his life journey with only one goal, to become a new name in Haute Couture which the world would remember for years to come. And so, after his untimely death in November 2003, we are left with his legacy which until 2011 was taken over by French designer Vanessa Seward. Azzaro Couture was founded in Paris in 1962 and by 1968 his business had grown exponentially, though at that time he was better known for making glamorous garments for the French elite. His bold and daring creations soon caught a wider public audience, all of whom aspired to the chic lifestyle and luxuries embodied by the Azzaro brand.

Over the years, Azzaro released numerous clothing collections which were always just as beautifully intricate and daring as his famous chain-mail party dresses. He also released a wide range of other products such as accessories and fragrances, so over time Azzaro became as well-known for his fragrances as for his clothing lines. Azzaro always claimed that his inspirations came from the surroundings of his country of birth, Tunisia, and so he quoted: “I let myself get carried by the atmosphere of the country of my childhood with its spiced odors, its colors, its flowers and its perfumes. It is the country where I really become myself, the country where my preferred color is everywhere, azure of the sea and the sky.”

It is these inspirations which prompted him to release his first fragrance in 1975, a signature scent called “Couture” which is adored by women the world over. He didn’t only cater for women though, he also provided many a scent and aftershave for the male counterpart. One of the earliest and most popular ones was Azzaro pour Homme (1978), an aromatic fougere fragrance with deep woody notes, perfect for the discerning man. Other popular men’s fragrances and aftershaves by Azzaro are the spicy rose notes of Acteur (1989), the beautifully aromatic citrus notes of Chrome (1996), the woody and aromatic Pure Vetiver (2000), the balsamic and smoky notes of Visit for Men (2003), the mysteriously aromatic spices of Onyx (2005) and the warm and spicy citrus notes of Jetlag (2006) to name but a few.