It’s been three months since the first Monday in September, also known as the 2021 Met Gala. Fashion’s biggest night brought out the industry’s most-invited A-Listers dressed in stunning looks according to the “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” theme. Among the fashionable set was actor Troye Sivan gracing the carpet in a black deep scoop-neck tank dress that took headlines by storm. The dress in question’s label read ALTU—at the time an unfamiliar name, but now, with the brand officially launched, the name behind it might ring some familiar bells.
ALTU, in fact, stands for the first four letters of the surname Altuzarra, yes like THE Altuzarra—catching on yet? The brand (launched on December 1) is by the womenswear designer Joseph Altuzarra. With ALTU, Altuzarra aims to “encompass the plurality of an individual’s presented identity, and encourages positivity within the spectrum of gender presentations and expressions.” Instead of the term genderless, the designer has coined the term genderful to give a new meaning to the word gender and give it the importance and incisiveness he says it requires.
Now to the question we all are wondering, yes, ALTU’s first release includes Troye Sivan’s Met gala cut-out dress both in black and a white colorway. The range continues with warm wardrobe staples, including layered hooded sweatshirts, knitwear, and dresses. The line’s hero is indeed leather pants constructed in two versatile fits. Altuzarra draws inspiration for the collection from the subversive nature of adolescence and how it informs our identities—where vulnerability and angst, doubt and desire, idolization and isolation all coexist.
ALTU by Joseph Altuzarra is now available exclusively on ALTU.world and Matchesfashion.com, the collection ranges in genderful numerical sizes ranging from zero to seven.
