Designer Spotlight: IRO
French brand IRO represents a feminine and modern silhouette which blends together luxury and casual wear. The brand started in 2005 by two brothers, Arik and Laurent Bitton, whose passions lie with music, architecture and design. By merging these passions together, they now create the bold collections that IRO is known for.
Before the birth of IRO, Laurent moved to New York City to pursue a career in music as the lead guitarist and singer in a rock band. The group got a respectable following and signed with BMG in Paris, but decided to split up four years later. Laurent then teamed up with his brother, Arik, to start a new venture in fashion. The pair grew up around the industry, with their parents owning a womenswear line in France for twenty years, which gave them the knowledge and necessary connections to start one of their own.
The name of the brand came from Laurent wanting the work his brother does for the label to be recognised. He shared in an interview with The Cut, "Arik is one of those behind-the-scenes people, so it’s called IRO as in hero, because you don’t always see a hero but you see his work." Like so many other stories you hear about from successful brands, they started small - with a collection of tees, dresses and jeans, but then quickly expanded their range as their recognition grew to a global level. IRO is now sold in the most prestigious Parisian areas and the biggest european capitals such as Rome, Brussels, Munich, Copenhagen and London with future hopes of taking the US by storm.
The brothers' main aim was to have a 'cool feminine brand' that was accessible, french and sexy all at the same time. Subtle graphic and floral print mini dresses worn with a classic black stiletto; tailored jackets paired with ripped skinny jeans; and statement one-pieces layered with bold accessories are all key IRO 'looks' that are now ready for you to style and make your own. The SS20 collection has just landed on our website so take a look here.
