Who started it? Born in Paris to a Chinese-American mother and French father, Joseph Altuzarra’s fashion sense was honed during an awkward adolescence. A school misfit, he learned to use clothes to ingratiate himself with other students, and a talent for styling emerged. After graduating from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, the United States, with a degree in art and art history, Altuzarra moved to New York to intern at Marc Jacobs. A year later, he was working as a freelance designer for Proenza Schouler while apprenticing with Nicolas Caïto. He then returned to Paris to become right-hand man to Givenchy’s creative director, Riccardo Tisci. Altuzarra founded his eponymous label in 2008 and this year launched a collection with US retail chain Target.
Why we love it: sex appeal is an Altuzarra signature. With cinched waists and tapered trousers, his creations are known for accentuating the form. His collection for Target is accessible and chic, perfect for both work and play.
What we’d pick: we love the embroidered cotton-blend twill dress (above left; HK$590) for a fashionforward day at the office, and the satin-trimmed velvet blazer (HK$710) and velvet skinny trousers in vermillion (HK$470; both above right).