Lawrence Zarian On New Collection with Connected Apparel

As one of the most sought-after, on-camera lifestyle and fashion experts in the television industry, Lawrence Zarian, specializes in styling women in their 40s, 50s, and over. Not only does he focus on affordable trends for this key demo of women, but also the mentality and psychology around dressing for your body type and loving yourself in the process.

Before the holidays, Zarian partnered with Connected Apparel, an established, family-owned business in Los Angeles, to launch the limited-edition CAxLZ collection of timeless separates for women. Incorporating feedback he has received over the years from styling women and producing fashion segments, each piece within the CAxLZ collection was specifically designed for women of all shapes, ages, and sizes without compromising the latest styles and trends.

From the Toni, short-sleeve, sequin top to the show-stopping, Foxy, silver tunic, the collection ranges from $45 to $55, with masks sold separately for $15.

Zarian took some time to chat more with OFM about CAxLZ and why this is the most important collection he has ever created.

Hi, Lawrence! Thank you for taking some time to chat with me about partnering with Connected Apparel to launch the CAxLZ collection. Can you tell us more about it and how it began?
I have been doing this for 25 years, and I have been approached so many times to do my own clothing line, and it just never felt right. I think God puts you where you are supposed to be, and I was put in a situation. It was random. While working on another show, I was sitting at a table with this amazing couple. We were talking, and we both found out that we were both in the fashion business. This company, Connected Apparel, has been in the fashion business for over 40 years. The wife had recognized me and said, oh, I know who you are! They asked me what I love about fashion, and I said, I love sharing with women of all shapes, ages, and sizes pieces that make them feel beautiful. There is a beauty for every single woman.

They said, that is the motto for our company. Fashion for every woman. It is not just about the look; it’s about the feel. I said, oh my God, I have always wanted to do a clothing line. The owner of the company, Jay Balaban, said, let’s talk when we get back. That was literally it. I went down to their office, and they were showing me some of their pieces. Jay said they would be interested to hear what I come up with. I had thoughts; they had thoughts; they took everything I was passionate about and started designing prototypes. That is how CAxLZ was born. It is hands-down one of the best things I have ever done.How has the collection been received?
It has been amazing! Because I have been doing this for 25 years, and believe me, I loosely say this. The women who follow me, they trust me. They know that I only showcase fashion and style that is affordable and easily accessible. I have been celebrated for being inclusive to all women of every age, every shape, and every size. I am an identical twin, and I know what it is like to not feel like I am a part of [something]. I have always felt like I am being compared to [someone].

So, I know what it is like when a woman doesn’t feel like, you know, when they go on Instagram, Facebook, or look on television, I can’t be that. Like, I get it. I get it. We all have our own bullshit that we work through. I can relate to what it’s like to not feel a part of. Being a twin, people would always look at us and say, well, Gregory is better looking, Gregory is this and that. In those moments, you feel like you are not. So, I designed my collection for every woman to have something to make them feel something. Beautiful. Sexy.

You said you have been wanting to create a line like this for quite some time. How does it feel to finally achieve this dream?
Absolutely amazing. So many women, especially during this lockdown, have put themselves on hold. Women were doing this for a very long time already, but now they have to homeschool, figure out how to take care of their kids. Everybody is navigating this new normal. Women getting their hair done, women getting their eyebrows tinted, doing things that make women look and feel better, have been put on hold because everything is different, and nobody is leaving their house. The way people shop is so different now. Nobody’s buying outfits anymore. If they are doing anything, they are dressing from the waist up.

So, this means more to me than ever because it’s one piece. It’s a sequined T-shirt. Why put on a cotton T-shirt when you can put on a sequined T-shirt that is being beautiful, super affordable, and makes you feel better? I have gotten so many women who have reached out to me and said, for the first time in eight months, I put on your top, and I feel great. Oh my god, your palazzo pants make me feel so sexy when I’m going from the kitchen to the living room to the bedroom. Everything is a choice. When we are at home, we don’t dress up because we are at home, but if you are going to put on a pair of sweatpants, why not put on my palazzo pants? Instead of a cardigan, put on my Bianca jacket. It feels good; it drapes beautifully, and it feels like an event. It feels like something.

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What other pieces are included in the collection?
I have the Toni tee in rose gold, antique gold, and silver. I cut and design everything specifically. With the Toni tee, the sleeve is just a little bit longer on the arm because women want that luxury of being able to cover their arm. More coverage, more comfort, more confidence, and it also drapes just a little bit longer. It is cut to smooth out and drapes over women beautifully. So, that is the Toni tee. I have the Bianca, black, open cardigan, the Foxy tunic, and my Sheri palazzo pants. Everything is named after women in my life that have meant something to me.

What do you personally take away when a client leaves feeling happy, sexy, and confident?
I get very emotional. I cry all the time because it’s a choice, and they chose to trust me to wear something that means something to them. I don’t just do this for fashion; I do this for someone to feel beautiful. I do this for women. I have done thousands of makeovers on all these different shows I have been blessed to be a part of, and every, single woman has addressed body issues. My arms are too big; I’ve got a stomach; I’ve got this; I’ve got that; so I listened for 25 years and designed this collection for them.

So, how do I feel? I did this for them. It is like a big thank you for trusting me. I listened to you, and there are so many women of a certain age who feel that their voice has never, ever been heard. Once you reach a certain age, all these women say designers are not designing for them. They are designing for 20-year-olds. To me, when you get to a certain age, you have earned this moment in your life. You are the one that should be treated beautifully. Only in the United States do we discredit age. Around the world, age is celebrated and acknowledged. Celebrate who you are.Why do you think the fashion industry has taken so long to finally start gearing clothes towards women of all ages and sizes, and what more needs to be done to ensure that this continues to be normalized?
I don’t know if the fashion industry is going to ever fully jump on that bandwagon because that is not what sells clothes. It’s just something that is not done. I feel like I am the band of one. I work on a show called Home and Family, and it’s instant response. It’s on the Hallmark Channel, and it’s two hours of bright, fun, fresh television. We literally are two hours of happiness.

It is hands-down one of the best jobs I have ever, ever had, and these women are so thankful. Thank you for always showing a woman of my age, and my size in fashion. It’s not mainstream. Think about it. Do you really think these designers are going to sell out when they are like, here’s a 55-year-old woman, and she’s a size 16? However, those are the women who are actually shopping for themselves and their daughters. It is so silly; they are not paying attention. So, I feel like I am the band or one. The party of one saying, you have a voice, and I have heard you. That is why the collection is taking off.

Have you always had a passion for fashion and style? How did you fall into this crazy business?
God. I think God put me in this place. I was an actor, and I was working. I wanted to be a reporter and host the news. I wanted to do everything, but my dear friend Nora said to me at one point, she said, you know Lawrence, you always make women feel beautiful. You have always been so accepting and loving.  You used to model around the world; why don’t you talk about fashion? You have walked the walk, now talk to talk. It was that simple.

I approached a producer, and I said, I would love to do a fashion segment. The producer said, what would the segment be? My first thought was women. I said, I am going to show women how to dress from their men’s side of the wardrobe. It was simple; it was easy, and from that moment, it took off. Then, I started doing major makeovers.

Think about it. To take a woman and turn her around and have her look how beautiful she can be, it is fulfilling. It’s heartwarming, and it’s heartbreaking that they never saw themselves before until that moment. I have the best job in the world. So, I think God puts us where we are meant to be. He moved me into this place because there was a voice and a need. This is where I was meant to be.

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What are some of your favorite and least favorite style trends?
I am a huge, huge fan of classic, timeless pieces. A trend comes and goes, but the classics are forever, like a classic shift dress. They are so sophisticated and elegant. I love a classic, two-piece suit for women. Something tailored. I love men inspired dressing for women. I also love bright, vibrant prints worn to perfection.

A lot of women at a certain size say, I can’t wear it, but it is finding the perfect print for your shape and size. Anything that someone can wear that makes them feel good, but also the person looking at them feels good as well because they see the person feeling good. I love that. As for trends that I don’t like, that’s why they are trends. They have come and gone.

Is there an accessory you think every woman should have?
A big, delicious, statement necklace. Because what are you doing? You are making a statement. I love the juxtaposition of a white T-shirt or an oversized sweatshirt with a statement necklace. It’s fun, cheeky, silly, but it is stylish. It is like, look at you making a statement. I love anything like that. I think it has to be the right fit and has to be placed perfectly on what you are wearing, but I think there is something really fun about that.As you mentioned, you like to make clothes and steer women towards brands that are affordable. For those on a budget, where would you suggest they shop?
CAxLZ Connected Apparel [laughs]. Google it. You can Google anything you want. Type in this is how much money I have, so where should I shop. That is option number one. Number two, off-price retailing. Off-price retailers like Marshalls, Ross, TJ Maxx, those are off-price retailers. You can get 20 to 75 percent off top, designer labels.

A lot of people love their labels, but they are mass produced. All these companies have relationships with designers and buy in bulk. If it is in a department store, it is also at a Marshalls, TJ Maxx, or one of those stores. I am also a big fan of Target. I think Target has gotten it right. They have really listened to the consumer, and they paid attention to where there is a want and a need. If I go to a department store, the one that always delivers for me is Macy’s. They always have a nice eclectic mix, and it stayed true to what their branding is.

From your point of view, how has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the style and makeover industry?
Nobody is shopping anymore. They are buying pieces that they can wear everywhere. Athleisure has never been more on trend. It’s comfort; it’s stylish; it’s something you wear to basically take care of your kids while homeschool, and then run out and go to the store if you have to. I don’t want to make it about me, but that is why we launched these pieces. If you are going to put on sweatpants or put on a pair of jeans, why not put on the palazzo pants? A good friend of mine wears the palazzo pants with an oversized sweatshirt. She says to me, I cannot tell you how many women stop me and say they have never seen that. I love that.

When you go to a great restaurant, it is called event dining. It is a special occasion. For me, every day is a special occasion that we wake up. If you are going to go to your wardrobe and put something on, why wouldn’t you put on a sequined T-shirt? You look good; you feel good. Look how pretty you look! Throw a denim jacket over your sequined T-shirt.

I don’t know, it’s different now. We are choosing our moments more specifically than ever. Who would have ever thought we would be living through a pandemic? Think about how random that is. So, we have to choose specifics. So many women have said to me this last year, Lawrence, I haven’t wanted to dress up, but I bought your top; I brought your jacket, and my family said I looked pretty. I mean, but who doesn’t want that? Who doesn’t want to feel pretty again? I get very emotional about all of it.

Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects or anything else you would like to mention or plug?
I am on Home and Family on the Hallmark channel, and I am on The Kelly Clarkson Show all the time.

Follow Zarian on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date with his latest news and projects. Visit connectedapparel.com for more information on the CAxLZ collection.

Photos Courtesy of James Mankoff