Max Azria Net Worth, Relationships, Age/Birthdate & Birthday

Max Azria was a celebrated fashion designer and entrepreneur, best known for founding the contemporary fashion empire BCBG MAX AZRIA and transforming women’s ready-to-wear style worldwide.

Introduction

Max Azria — born January 1, 1949 — was a pioneering French-American fashion designer whose vision and business acumen reshaped contemporary women’s fashion. By the time of his passing on May 6, 2019, he had built a global fashion empire under BCBG MAX AZRIA. Although his fortune reportedly peaked during the brand’s prime, public estimates place his net worth at approximately $400 million.  At various points he was married to Lubov Azria, and fathered six children — a testament to a rich personal life alongside professional triumphs.

A Vision That Crossed Continents

Born in Sfax, Tunisia, Max Azria arrived into a modest family of six children with Sephardi and Mizrahi Jewish roots. When his family relocated to Paris during his youth, the city’s vibrant fashion atmosphere and the region’s history of craftsmanship heavily influenced his sensibilities. 

For over a decade, he honed his skills designing women’s apparel in Paris. This period laid the bedrock for what would become a revolutionary career. In 1981, driven by ambition and a desire to bring European style to the American market, Azria moved to Los Angeles. There he launched Jess, an innovative boutique concept that introduced chic French fashion to American women. 

That boutique success set the stage for his bold leap: in 1989, he founded BCBG MAX AZRIA, deriving the brand name from the French phrase “bon chic, bon genre” — loosely translated as “good style, good attitude.” His vision: make sophisticated, high-quality fashion accessible and wearable, not just for the elite, but for everyday women seeking elegance in daily life.

Defining moments in Max Azria’s journey include:

• Launching Jess in Los Angeles to bring Parisian style to the U.S. market.

• Founding BCBG MAX AZRIA in 1989, combining European craftsmanship with American retail sensibility.

• Acquiring the prestigious French brand Hervé Léger in 1998 — becoming the first American designer to own a major French couturier.

• Debuting BCBG Runway collections at major fashion events, making the label a staple in global fashion.

The Core Pillars of His Wealth

The wealth amassed by Max Azria stemmed from a combination of creative brilliance, sharp business moves, and expansive brand growth.

• Global Fashion Retail Empire: BCBG MAX AZRIA grew into a vast group spanning more than 20 brands, including ready-to-wear lines, contemporary collections, and haute couture sub-labels.

• Strategic Acquisitions: The addition of Hervé Léger and other labels under the BCBG umbrella amplified the brand’s prestige and diversity.

• Licensing, Wholesale Distribution & Celebrity Appeal: His designs reached global department stores — from Saks Fifth Avenue to Bloomingdale’s — and were embraced by celebrities, boosting brand visibility.

• Diversified Business Ventures: Even after exiting BCBG as CEO in 2016, Azria shifted his entrepreneurial energy into a different domain by leading ZappLight, a tech-infused home lighting company, showing his willingness to explore beyond fashion.

Personal Life & Relationships

Beyond his public persona as a fashion mogul, Max Azria maintained a robust personal life rooted in family and community.

• He married his longtime partner Lubov Azria in 1992; together they had three daughters: Chloe, Nushi, and Agnes. Lubov served as Chief Creative Officer of BCBG — blending partnership in both life and business.

• From a previous marriage, he had three children: Michael John, Joyce, and Marine — bringing the total to six. 

• Their family home was a landmark: a sprawling mansion in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles — originally designed by architect Paul Williams. This mansion symbolized not just wealth, but the union of style, home-life, and legacy. 

Key insights into Max Azria’s relationships and personal life:

• His partnership with Lubov was creative and personal — shaping the brand, its aesthetic, and the family legacy together.

• Through his children — notably his daughter Joyce Azria, who became Creative Director of BCBGeneration — he embedded his values and entrepreneurial spirit into the next generation.

• His family home served as both a private retreat and a social hub — emblematic of his hospitality, success, and cultural identity.

Lifestyle, Assets & Interests

Beyond the runway and boardroom, Max Azria’s life embodied style, comfort, and a rich social dimension.

• The Holmby Hills mansion — a 17-bedroom estate with theatre, Japanese garden, Moroccan baths, koi pond, tennis court, and more — demonstrated a taste for grandeur and privacy.

• His immersion in both fashion and later in home-technology (through ZappLight) showed a blend of aesthetic sensibility and entrepreneurial curiosity.

• Azria’s social circle included other designers, artists, and creatives. Accounts from colleagues emphasize his generosity and hospitality — regularly hosting Shabbat dinners and community gatherings. 

Net Worth Breakdown & Analysis

How does one arrive at the $400 million estimate often cited as Max Azria’s net worth at the time of his death? The following reflects the main components as aggregated from public sources:

Taken together, these elements support the commonly cited $400 million net worth — a testament to the significant value he built from creativity, smart expansion, and diversified investments.

Legacy — Influence Beyond Fashion

Max Azria’s impact extends far beyond retail numbers or runway shows. He reshaped how many view designer fashion — as accessible, wearable, and grounded in everyday life. Through BCBG, women around the world gained access to clothing that combined European sophistication with practical affordability.

His acquisition of Hervé Léger signaled a bold crossover: an American designer embracing — and reviving — a storied French couture house. That move challenged traditional fashion hierarchies and inspired future cross-cultural collaborations. 

Moreover, through public praise, media recognition, and loyal clientele, Azria cemented a legacy of blending business savvy with artistic vision. One industry colleague recalled him as generous and community–oriented, hosting dinners — underscoring that his influence was personal, social, and deeply human.

Conclusion

Max Azria’s journey — from a young Tunisian boy to the founder of a global fashion empire — is a story of ambition, creativity, and resilience. With a net worth estimated at $400 million at the time of his passing, his financial legacy reflects decades of hard work, smart strategy, and enduring influence. His age/birthdate (January 1, 1949) and birthday (January 1) mark the beginning of a life dedicated to redefining fashion and business.

But perhaps his greatest legacy lies not in dollars or labels, but in the way he made style accessible and inspired a generation of designers and entrepreneurs to think globally, act boldly, and build with heart.