“We Remain True to Our Values”

Michaël Azoulay has a passion for product development.

American Vintage embodies timeless essentials.

AMERICAN VINTAGE

“WE REMAIN TRUE TO OUR VALUES”

The white t-shirt and denim are core elements of American Vintage. As the owner of the brand, Michaël Azoulay nevertheless moves the collection forward without losing its focus.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: American Vintage, Antonio Ciufo

How have you evolved the white t-shirt as a key piece?

Michaël Azoulay, owner of American Vintage: The starting point is always 100 percent cotton, with the idea of designing a new, yet authentic version. We have devoted ourselves to exploring diversity in fit and cut, resulting in a complete, fashionable collection centred around the white t-shirt. Stylish necklines, details, seams… they add that certain something. Sometimes we use flamed jersey or twisted yarn. We also utilise all types of yarn: fine to thick, even those that are fairly rare and difficult to process.

You also focus on denim.

Here, too, the motto is 100 percent cotton. We are on a continual quest for a beautiful pair of authentic jeans, in more rustic materials and twill for more comfort – in blue or black, with pepper and salt looks, but also in the original ecru colour. We are passionate about experimenting with all kinds of washes, which always have a different effect on the product.

American Vintage represents a whole world of style. What are you building around it?

We embrace diversity in materials, cuts, and colours, and have also expanded our knitwear and coat ranges. Our loungewear and lingerie in soft ecru and beige tones are equally important. They can be beautifully combined to complete the American Vintage feel-good look.

Challenging times make digital strategies indispensable. Which areas have you focused on in particular?

It has become so much more crucial to be able to access important information in real time – not only for us at headquarters, but also in the field and at the POS. In order to respond promptly to questions regarding inventory management, store planning, and productivity, we have expanded our digital communication platforms and further interconnected our sales outlets. For example, our in-store staff can now serve customers all the more service-oriented and efficiently via iPods and iPads. Our goal is the store of tomorrow. We envision a shop with less inventory and more delivery sales, creating time and space for real customer experiences. In this context, we are considering art, music, and sound, as well as events. The latter could even be implemented with our specialised retail partners. The pipeline of experimental campaigns is full and ready to go!