Altuzarra
United States
Altuzarra is a New York luxury womenswear label founded by Joseph Altuzarra in 2008. It remains independent, with minority investment from the New York firm P180 since 2024, and has built a name for refined ready to wear, handbags and accessories.
| Founded | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Joseph Altuzarra |
| Headquarters | New York, United States |
| Segment | Luxury and designer houses |
| Investors | P180 (minority stake since 2024) |
| Second line | Altu (launched 2022) |
| Website | altuzarra.com |
What is Altuzarra?
Altuzarra is a luxury women's ready to wear and accessories label created by the French American designer Joseph Altuzarra, who launched it in New York in 2008. The brand describes its work as timeless, high quality and sophisticated, rooted in artisanal craftsmanship, with collections that often draw on film, dance, literature and fine art.
History
Joseph Altuzarra studied art and art history at Swarthmore College and worked under Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy in Paris before starting his own label. The early years were self financed with family help, and his mother Karen served as chief executive. The label won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2011, and its first collection was picked up by Dover Street Market, Ikram and Barneys New York.
Kering held a minority stake from 2013 to 2020. The brand showed at Paris Fashion Week from 2018 for about four years before returning to New York in 2021, and has had its studio in the Woolworth Building since 2017. In 2024 the New York investment firm P180 took a minority stake.
Products and positioning
- Ready to wear: dresses, knitwear, tops, jackets, skirts and trousers.
- Handbags: including the Origami, Cubetto, Tack Trunk and Basket styles.
- Accessories: belts, jewellery, scarves and shoes.
- Altu: a second line launched in 2022.
- Home: textiles and wall coverings made with Kravet Couture in 2024.
Business model and distribution
Altuzarra sells through its own website and a network of department and specialty stores. It has also worked on mass market collaborations, including J.Crew in 2012 and Target in 2014. The company has said little publicly about its financial results, and no revenue figures are cited here.
Why it matters
Altuzarra is one of the best known American designer labels of its generation. It shows how an independent house can combine a couture inspired aesthetic with a small number of strategic investors and carefully chosen collaborations, rather than relying on a large group.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Altuzarra?
Altuzarra is an independent label led by its founder Joseph Altuzarra. Kering held a minority stake from 2013 to 2020, and the New York firm P180 took a minority stake in 2024.
Where is Altuzarra from?
Altuzarra was founded in New York in 2008 by the French American designer Joseph Altuzarra. Its studio is in the Woolworth Building in Manhattan.