The Interview: Baylee Zwart of AZLEE
Interview with Baylee Zwart of AZLEE
We met AZLEE designer Baylee Zwart in Paris during fashion week in October, and immediately fell in love with her second-ever fine jewelry collection. The Californian has a deep love for the ocean, which reflects itself in her philanthropic commitment to donate a portion of each piece sold to ocean-related charities. The elegant designer’s latest collection features graphic fine jewelry pieces inspired by a sense of electricity – perfect for holiday. Plan de Ville’s Founder Catherine Smith interviewed Zwart about launching her collection, the challenges she faces as an emerging designer, and her motivations for the future of AZLEE.
HOW DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE READY TO LAUNCH AZLEE IN SPRING 2015?
“AZLEE had been in the works for a couple of years. I was working at TOMS shoes at the time on their high-end line, but had told myself that as soon as I couldn’t balance the two I would pursue AZLEE full-time. When I started getting calls at work about AZLEE, I knew it was time to hit the ground running.”
Circuit Diamond Earrings by AZLEE
WHAT INSPIRED THE ELECTRIC COLLECTION?
“Coming off of the previous Light Collection, my head was still very much into the feeling of capturing movement and energy. I started with the concept of electricity and went from there, creating the various concepts for the collection which include the “Circuit”, “Spark” and “Flash” portions of the collection.”