Alaïa
Renowned designer Azzedine Alaïa has spent his life dressing women. Originally from Tunis, initially destined for sculpture, before turning to couture, he had a gift that few can boast of possessing: his clothing flattered all shapes. A master of ingenuity when it came to cut and form, as well as the choice of materials, this small but immensely talented man transformed his clients into femme fatales thanks to his extensive knowledge of fabrics. His technical skill was without compare; Azzedine Alaïa was one of those designers who actually sewed, while so many others were sketching their ideas and entrusting them to others to bring them to life. Though lauded for its humility and generosity, the Alaïa style was nonetheless fierce. Widely known for pioneering the body-con silhouette, with nude mesh dresses and flashes of skin, his dramatic use of black, leopard print and leather gowns revolutionised the fashion scene. He famously liked to create at his own pace, even if it meant boycotting fashion weeks, and also established fashion collaborations as we know them today. Long before Fendace and Gucci X Balenciaga, there was Tati by Alaïa. In 1991, Azzedine Alaïa took the famous "Vichy" check print of the French budget brand and put it on the catwalk, simultaneously proving that the street can be a source of fashion inspiration, at a time when their balance of power was quite the opposite.
In 2022, the Alaïa fashion house set its sights on a revival, appointing Pieter Mulier, a Belgian designer who cut his teeth at Dior, Calvin Klein and Jil Sander, to take over its artistic direction. His appointment garnered the approval of a certain Naomi Campbell, who called Azzedine Alaïa "papa", proof that his sense of femininity is perfectly in line with the legacy left by the late designer. Since his beginnings at Alaïa, Pieter Mulier has successfully combined audacity and elegance in the same way as his predecessor once did. And demonstrating this masterful blend of irreverence and sophistication, make way for the Alaïa sunglasses, for a look so smouldering it's almost dangerous.
