AZ Factory confirms collaboration with Thebe Magugu

AZ Factory, the fashion start-up founded by the late Alber Elbaz and Richemont in 2021, has confirmed that South African designer Thebe Magugu will be the first “amigo” guest collaborator.

On the brand’s social, AZ Factory explained that “amigos” will collaborate with the brand “to design beautiful, playful, practical and solutions-driven fashion that works for everyone,” which is in keeping with Elbaz’s original vision for the brand to be a “collective laboratory and factory”.

The first guest collaborator will be 2019 LVMH Prize winner, Magugu, who featured in the brand's tribute show to Elbaz, which took place last October during Paris Fashion Week. The brand added that Magugu will “step into the laboratory, to design one of our new product stories with us”.

Magugu’s collection for AZ Factory is expected to be unveiled to trade in late March or early April, with the first product drop landing in June.

The news coincided with the opening of the ‘Love Brings Love’ exhibition at the Palais Galliera fashion museum in Paris. The exhibit, curated by Alexandre Samson, celebrates Elbaz and the tribute showcase featuring looks inspired by the designer from participating fashion houses and designers, including Magugu, alongside Alexander McQueen, Balmain, Chloe, Dior, Christopher John Rogers, Gucci, Jean Paul Gaultier, Grace Wales Bonner, and Louis Vuitton.