Yagal Azruel is nothing if not permanent. As a designer, he doesn’t necessarily look for external inspiration, but does one always want to expand on the same push and pull of masculinity and femininity, hard and soft. It’s a short that can become stagnant, but this season, Azruel has hit a groove, which hopefully will carry over into future seasons. “I was very playful with my vision,” she said. “On a design level, Azruel’s drapery is where he strikes the yin-yang balance best. This season he rocked, the highlight of which is a silk duster whose sharp, bold shoulders create tension with organic draped necklines. While this look could easily slip into 1980s clothing, it’s elegant and considered.”
“I really try to focus on what I’m best known for: architecture, proportions. I play with something hard and soft, like leather, like silk,” Azruel said. His outerwear is always a definite highlight: raglan-sleeved leather jackets with massive lapels, gray ankle-length leather trenches with white piping, and color-blocked black and bottle green coats were interesting takes on traditional cold-weather fare.
While the collection felt extremely wearable, Azruel also found room to experiment. A bomber jacket and button-up skirt are crafted in trompe l’oeil leather that meets denim. Elsewhere, a black leather dress with a removable hood looks like it would do well on the planet Harkonnen. Don. Modularity pushed beyond removable hoods: A denim maxi halter dress separates into a top and skirt. Functionality is key, but Azruel found a great way to make wardrobe staples your own.
