Atelier Jolie: Angelina Jolie’s Venture into Fashion
Tiya Antony
Fashion News Editor
Angelina Jolie is an Academy Award-winning actress, filmmaker, humanitarian, and now creator of her own fashion studio Atelier Jolie. The fashion house is focused on sustainability and has a partnership with the luxury brand Chloé.
In the November issue of Vogue, Jolie revealed the first look of the brand with a strapless white gown which is spray painted pink for the digital cover photo. This is similar to the ideas of Alexander McQueen and Coperni, but the spray-paint look is a tribute to the late painter Jean-Michel Basquiat.
The space of the Atelier Jolie studio was once the former home and studio of Basquiet. Jolie wishes to use the space as an invitation for community collaboration, where she will upcycle fashion with future partnerships with creative artists from around the world. Some popular names include South African lacemaker Pierre Fouche and London based milliner Justin Smith. The studio’s café is also planned to partner with different refugee organizations.
Angelina Jolie created the first collection with Gabriela Hearst, the former creative director of Chloé. The first collection will not be available until 2024, but details have recently been released.
The collection features flowy, elegant dresses to embrace feminine energy, staple pieces, and sophisticated outerwear. Jolie is highly involved in design developments, with some pieces being inspired by her own personal wardrobe. The collection focuses on neutral colors like whites, beiges, blacks, and sooty browns in order to complement various skin tones. Deadstock is previously unused and unsellable fabrics, which are being utilized in this collaboration in hopes of lowering the carbon footprint. There will still be the usage of natural fabrics like certified wool and organic silks but almost 80 percent of the collection comprises of lower-impact materials, which demonstrates the importance that Jolie and Hearst have for sustainability. It is a high percentage especially for a certified B Corp, which are brands that “meet the highest standards of verified, overall social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability.”
Jolie states that Zahara and Pax, two of her children, are also involved in the collection. Jolie finds fashion to be a huge part of self-expression and exploration, which is especially important for younger generations. The actress, who is still involved in a multiple legal dispute with her ex-husband Brad Pitt, feels like the transition into a creative workspace has been therapeutic after a long process of healing. Angelina Jolie feels like she has been able to rediscover herself and work in a productive, creative space with hopes of encouraging others to pursue their goals.
Contact Tiya at antonyti@shu.edu