When Jennifer Lopez, Heidi Klum, Chrissy Teigen and Sofia Carson all show up to celebrate your one-year-old brand, you know you’re making a splash. Last week, longtime celebrity stylist Rob Zangardi — now also creative director of his own outerwear label, Auter — toasted the brand’s first anniversary and Fall 2026 collection launch at iconic Los Angeles retailer (and new stockist) Maxfield.
“I wanted people to be able to touch and feel [the line],” Zangardi told Fashionista about venturing into wholesale. “Not to toot my own horn, the stuff looks really good in photos, but it’s so much better in person. It was so important to me that everything feels comfortable and soft.” He says Auter, which comprises both womenswear and menswear, is “fabric-first,” so it’s especially key for people to be able to try on the jackets and coats.
Watch the interview below to find out why IRL retail was the right strategy for the year-old brand, and to see his signature faux-fur coats in action.
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