Object: Evening dress
Designer:
Azzedine Alaïa
(1939 - 2017)
Date: Winter 1986
Medium: Acetate knit
Country: France
Credit Line: Gift of Azzedine Alaia In Memory of Arthur Englander
Object number: 87.3.2
DescriptionHooded Mermaid evening dress in green acetate knit with moiré effect; long fitted sheath with cowl neck, large shoulder pads and spiral zipper set in curved seam, fishtail hem; coordinating panty hose and shoes
Label Text:This “Mermaid” dress covers the figure literally from head to toe, while the zipper that wraps around it ensures an exact fit and demonstrates Azzedine Alaïa’s talent for construction. The clinging, unforgiving knit fabric strongly reflects the fitness-crazed 1980s’ preoccupation with slim, flawless figures. Alaïa trained as a sculptor at the École des Beaux Arts in Tunis, and his knowledge of the human form is intrinsic to his figure-revealing clothing.
Exhibitions:
- 50 Years of Fashion, 1947 - 1997
- Form Follows Fashion