Size-inclusive Brand Ester Manas Is AZ Factory’s Next ‘Guest Amigo’ – WWD

Thu 5 May

The late Alber Elbaz loved to talk about food, and commiserate about his excess weight. But mostly he spoke about serving women with clothes that were easy and desirable, but not overpowering, so you see the person and not the dress.

No doubt he would smile upon the choice of the latest “guest amigo” for his upstart fashion house AZ Factory: size-inclusive brand Ester Manas, designed by Ester Manas and Balthazar Delepierre.

AZ Factory said Ester Manas would unveil a “collaborative product story” in June for fall retailing, sharing a brief “breaking news” statement exclusively to WWD and a photo of the design duo with a group of AZ Factory employees. Other details are still under wraps.Ester Manas, who are winning acclaim and retail traction for their sensual collections for women of all sizes and shapes, are the second “guest amigos” at Paris-based AZ Factory following the death of Albaz in April 2021. The first was South African designer Thebe Magugu, whose knife-pleated skirts and handsome wool coats start dropping next month.