Master Couturier, King of Cling: legendary fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa (1935–2017) is known by many names, each referring to his unparalleled ability to mold fabric onto the female form in unexpected and radical ways. The Tunisian-born designer spent his entire life in relentless pursuit of a wholly distinctive and most-flattering fit.
“For me, fashion is the body,” said Alaïa. “I make clothes; women make fashion.”
Alaïa is credited with inventing the supermodel through his exclusive fashion shows, the body-con dress — which, quite literally, hugs the body and emphasizes and embraces every curve — and pioneering what industry professionals have taken to calling “slow fashion.” The designer openly rejected empty, of-the-moment fads as well as the structure of biannual seasons and instead took his time, unhurried by press and releasing collections at his own pace. Most importantly, Alaïa was a visionary when it came to traditional notions of femininity and sexuality. At a time when loose, soft silhouettes were the norm, Alaïa’s sexy, waist-cinching hourglass and body-con outfits were shocking.
Alaïa’s “body-conscious clothes,” wrote fashion critic Suzy Menkes, “seemed a deliberate challenge — throwing down a sexist gauntlet in a feminist world.”
While powerful women such as Madonna, Michelle Obama, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington wear Alaïa’s creations today, his origins were remarkably humble.
Born to a farming family, Alaïa always had a creative streak. As a young boy, he would flip through women’s fashion magazines and quickly became interested in the design of women's clothing. He went on to study sculpture at the School of Fine Arts in Tunis and later worked as a tailor for a dressmaker before he found work creating garments based on Parisian haute couture designs. The combination of his classical training in sculpture and practical experience as a tailor convinced Alaïa that fashion was his calling. In 1957, he moved to Paris and worked for Christian Dior for less than a week before being fired. From there, Alaïa secured a job with Guy Laroche and opened his own maison in the 1970s.
At his core, Alaïa was a couturier who cut and sewed his samples himself. He also experimented with zips, seams, unexpected materials, textures, animal prints and floral patterns like an artist. Today, Alaïa’s clothes look untouched by the passage of time and the various trends that have materialized since their debut; they are as fresh, stylish and stunning as ever. His garments are pop-culture icons in their own right: Cher Horowitz, played by Alicia Silverstone in 1995’s Clueless, exasperated with a perpetrator holding her at gunpoint, declares, “But this is an Alaïa!”
Vintage Alaïa evening dresses, skirts and other attire continue to influence contemporary designers such as Nicolas Ghesquière and Hervé Léger. Not only are his clothes timeless in their glamour, but they also represent the groundbreaking vision of an artist, one who was known to proclaim, “I am not a designer. I am a couturier.”
Find a collection of Azzedine Alaïa day dresses, suits, jackets and more on 1stDibs.
ALAIA cream viscose blend textured knit cropped cardigan jacket FR36 S
By Azzedine Alaïa
Located in Hong Kong, NT
ALAIA cream viscose blend textured knit cropped cardigan jacket FR36 S Reference: SNKO/A00552 Brand: Alaia Designer: Azzedine Alaia Material: Viscose, Blend Color: Cream Pattern: Sol...
1986 AZZEDINE ALAIA cropped ecru linen RUNWAY jacket
By Azzedine Alaïa
Located in San Fransisco, CA
This 1986 cropped jacket by Azzedine Alaïa is cut from ecru linen and characterized by a close, tailored fit and minimal surface detail. The silhouette is short — ending above the wa...
1992 AZZEDINE ALAIA chenille knit wrap cardigan sweater
By Azzedine Alaïa
Located in San Fransisco, CA
This Azzedine Alaia wrap cardigan from 1992 is made from a soft chenille knit in an off-white tone that reads almost looks white. It has a clean wrap front with a V neckline and a sl...
$945
Size: Small - Large
Fabulous Vintage Emanuel Ungaro 1980s Avant Garde Ivory Wool 80s Cocoon Jacket
By Emanuel Ungaro
Located in San Diego, CA
Fabulous and chic vintage 1980s EMANUEL UNGARO ivory / off - white virgin wool Avant Garde cocoon jacket! So much detail with even more style! Features a single button closure, and p...
MAISON MARGIELA ivory cotton blend OVERSIZED BOUCLE CARDIGAN Jacket XS
By Maison Martin Margiela
Located in Zürich, CH
100% authentic Maison Margiela oversized knit cardigan in off-white cotton (86%) and polyamide (14%). Opens with buttons on the front. Unlined. Has ...
COURREGES c.1970-1980's Ivory Slub Knit Button-Up Long Sleeve Cardigan Sweater
By André Courrèges, Courrèges
Located in Thiensville, WI
COURREGES c.1970-1980's Ivory Slub Knit Button-Up Long Sleeve Cardigan Sweater Circa: c.1970's-1980's Label(s): Courreges Paris Style: Cardigan sweater Color(s): Ivory Lined: No M...
Alaia White & Metallic Glittery Brown Jacquard Cropped Cardigan Sweater 40
By Azzedine Alaïa
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Alaia white & metallic glittery brown jacquard, cropped cardigan sweater. Jewel neck, long sleeve cropped length sweater. Closes at the front with white mother of pearl buttons. ...
Alexander McQueen Ivory/ Cream Sweater Cardigan Top, Size Large
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Product details: Off white wool and cashmere blended cardigan sweater with silver tone hardware zipper and fringe design. Made in Italy.
Sacai Luck Ivory Wool Cardigan Sweater, Size 2
By Sacai Luck
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
- V neckline - Front button closure - Front pockets - Ruffled design detail
YOHJI YAMAMOTO Size L Cream Black Wool Contrast Trim Cardigan
By Yohji Yamamoto
Located in San Francisco, CA
YOHJI YAMAMOTO cardigan in a cream wool chunky knit featuring a contrasting black trim, two pockets, and single quilt pin closure. Made in Japan.Good Pre-Owned Condition. Moderate pi...
Fall 1989 AZZEDINE ALAÏA Runway Black Velvet Knit Shawl Collar Open Front Jacket
By Azzedine Alaïa
Located in Munich, DE
The eighties belonged to Alaïa,” blared The Independent in 1994, 14 years after the Paris-based Tunisian “burst” onto the scene with his first tough-chic ready-to-wear collection. And this is undoubtedly true! Azzedine Alaïa created these extravagant pieces for his Fall 1989 collection that were made of an innovative very soft and thick velvet knit...
Yves Saint Laurent YSL Grey Faux Astrakhan Fur and Black Velvet Jacket, c. 1992
By Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
Located in Munich, DE
Unusual and rare vintage Yves Saint Laurent charcoal grey faux fur Persian lamb or Astrakhan coat with black velvet collar, cuffs and edging probably from the Fall 1992 ready-to-wear...
1960s Ivory Cream Fringe & Passementerie Broadtail Lamb Fur Stole Cape Wrap
Located in Munich, DE
Exquisite and rare 1960s made in Germany by "Dallüge Pelze Hannover" ivory cream broadtail lamb fur stole or cape with remarkable tassel fringe and passementerie detailing. Brings a ...
S/S 2004 PRADA Runway Beige Brown Python Leather Belted Trench Coat
By Miuccia Prada, Prada
Located in Munich, DE
This exceptional coat was Look 3 in the Spring 2004 line-up from fashion icon Miuccia Prada. Vogue Runway said of this collection: "Over almost a decade of ground-breaking experimentalism, Miuccia Prada has explored everything from irony to deliberate ugliness to intellectual subversion. She’s been there, done that, and has the souvenirs to prove it. For Spring 2004, the designer turned her attention to the stiffest fashion challenge of the day: how to make feminine, happily nostalgic clothes without rehashing the clichés of vintage? “It was about tourism and craftsmanship, many things,” she said of a show that revisited the optimistic fifties to bring back a full set of densely packed suitcases. Out tumbled every possible variation on the classic touring wardrobe: circle skirts printed with illustrated Mediterranean scenes, shirtwaists and Capri pants, sundresses and bathing suits, button-through skirts and lovely evening frocks, silk madras bras and little tulle full-skirted dance dresses. What set the collection apart were the subtle twists, like the way Prada will gently mess up fabric with dip-dye and tie-dye, turn seams inside out, or leave edges raw. Something in the proportion of her neat little tops, belted slightly above the waist, to the fullness and length of her skirts, to the height of her T-strap shoes or pumps, inexplicably excuses the silhouette from the frumpiness of the literal fifties line. Meanwhile, students of Pradaology will note that her sight-seeing tour also revisits some favorite landmarks of her own career: the silk pleated goddess dresses, fur tippets...
JEAN PAUL GAULTIER A/W 1985-1986 Green Quilted & Padded Satin Coat
By Jean Paul Gaultier
Located in Munich, DE
This is one of Jean Paul Gaultier's rare and runway presented quilted satin coats from his A/W 1985-1986 collection. I am happy to have found documentation of different-coloured twins of this design walking the runway of that year. Please see the reference photos. The very elegant long coat features a flared cut and wide lapels. It is meant to be worn oversized. Fully padded with a beautiful organic shaped quilting. Love that the reverse of the lapels and the inside of the sleeves' cuffs is quilted into squares. The long loose sleeves can be worn either turned-down or turned-up showing that differing quilting. Two patch pockets. The design has no closure and is fully lined in a black silky satin with tonal tiny dots. Labelled "Jean Paul Gaultier pour Gibo' Made in Italy" and tagged a French vintage size 42. Due to its cut and open front it will fit a variety of sizes. Extremely well-made, this coat is a collectible and wearable piece of fashion history! The coat belonged to one of my couture clients from Munich, Germany, and has not been on the market prior to this. Excellent vintage condition. Bust: 136 cm – 53.54" Lapels width: 24,5 cm – 9.65" Sleeve length: 53 cm – 20.87" Length: 143 cm – 56.3" All measurements are taken flat. Bust measurement across from side seam to side seam and then DOUBLED. Modern Sizing Equivalent: up to L Reference Photos: Picture 1 to 4: Jean Paul Gaultier runway pictures from the designer's A/W 1985-1986 collection. Picture 5: Jean Paul Gaultier 1985...
Escada Black Crushed Velvet Jacket Blazer with Passementerie Border, 1980s
By Margaretha Ley, Escada
Located in Munich, DE
Luxe Escada by Margaretha Ley jacket or blazer in plush black crushed silk blend velvet with beautiful passementerie border and buttons. This double breasted style jacket features an...
The first fashion exhibit to be held at the new London Design Museum celebrates the famed Tunisian-Parisian couturier's lifetime of work.
The safari-inspired piece sports beauty tools for braving the urban jungle.
