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Azzedine Alaïa

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Azzedine Alaïa1939 - 2017

The body-conscious fashions that defined the 1980s owe much to Azzedine Alaïa, whose “second skin” designs were renowned for displaying and enhancing a woman’s figure. A perfectionist about shape and fit, Alaïa cut and draped his garments himself - preferring to work directly on the body - to achieve the ideal silhouette. Combining corsetry techniques with complex spiral and criss-cross seaming, some garments could contain up to 40 individual pieces, all assembled to emphasize womanly curves while ensuring ease of movement.

“The cut is what gives the shape, the roundness, the voluptuousness,” he once said. “Each line has a reason.” Alaïa’s designs were aided by his use of stretch fabrics, which hold and control the body yet allow freedom of movement. Dubbed the “Titan of Tight” and “King of Cling” by fashion journalists, Alaïa created some of the most seductive clothes to ever grace the runways.

Born in Tunisia, Alaïa studied sculpture and eventually moved to Paris in 1957 to pursue fashion. After working briefly in the studios of Dior, Guy Laroche and Thierry Mugler, Alaïa introduced his first prêt-à-poter collection in 1980 and found success, seemingly overnight, as women of all ages scrambled to get on waiting lists for his designs. However, even before opening his shop, Alaïa had been designing custom-made clothes for a small group of actresses and aristocrats, including Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich and Cecile de Rothschild. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Alaïa’s fame continued to attract notable clients such as Madonna, Tina Turner, and fashion icon Tina Chow

Alaïa’s reverence for tradition and his quest for perfection led him to rework and refine many of his designs as he experimented with riveted leathers, industrial zippers, and fabrics such as leather, tweed, lycra, and silk jersey. "He gives you the very best line you can get from your body,” Tina Turner once remarked. ”It's a piece of sculpture."

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Black suit jacket and knee length skirt styled with black and white striped hat
Suit
Azzedine Alaïa
c. 1985
2013.85.16
Black suit; jacket and skirt in cotton twill; double breasted suit jacket with slightly oversize upper bodice shirred at form fitting waist cincher / peplum panel; form fitting straight skirt with foundation girdle-like seaming at front and back and faux box pleat / double kick pleat at back hem
Red double-breasted hooded ankle-length coat
Ensemble
Azzedine Alaïa
Winter 1985
87.3.1
Red wool oversize, flared trench coat with contrast black wool knit sweater and hood, plastic sunglasses, suede eyeglass case, gloves, belt, boots, stretch knit pantyhose
Grey long sleeve zip front jacket and black stirrup pants
Set
Azzedine Alaïa
1985
91.255.12
Black wool knit jumpsuit with split collar, long sleeves and thigh-length leg; matching stirrup pants
Grey long sleeve zip front jacket and black stirrup pants
Jacket
Azzedine Alaïa
c.1987
91.255.15
Gray covert wool jacket with bias roll collar, long raglan sleeves, diagonal zippered pockets and CF concealed zipper; CB pleat and peplum effect
Detail of green hooded form-fitting dress
Evening dress
Azzedine Alaïa
Winter 1986
87.3.2
Hooded 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
Pink fitted ankle length evening dress with long sleeves, scoop neck and princess seaming that …
Evening dress
Azzedine Alaïa
c. 1988
2018.5.1
Mauve pink ankle length evening dress with extreme form fitting silhouette and extra long sleeves in rayon blend jersey, rib knit band at extra wide scoop neckline, princess and foundation garment seaming
Black motorcycle jacket dress: oversize bodice, fitted pencil skirt; wide lapels; asymmetrical …
Dress
Azzedine Alaïa
1987
2013.24.1
Black leather motorcycle jacket dress; oversize bodice, fitted pencil skirt; collar, wide lapels; asymmetrical front closure with brass metal jacket zipper; slant zippered pockets; long sleeves, zipper at wrist; interesting seaming, topstitching
Dusty pink high heel sandals with dark red front bar strap and corset lacing at center back and…
Shoes
Azzedine Alaïa
c. 1992
2013.25.8
Dusty pink suede high heel sandals with dark red front bar strap, corset lacing at center back and ankle strap tie closures, faux placket at center back with topstitched outline, back panel extends above top edge forming a loop casing for extra long wrap ankle lacing straps, two rows of black metal grommets at center back faux corset closure
Pair of snakeskin stiletto heel sandals with ankle strap and cowrie shells on T-strap
Shoes
Azzedine Alaïa
Early 1990s
2017.76.1
Snakeskin strappy high heel sandals with cowrie shells at T strap, ankle strap closure, low platform soles
Pair of brown printed snakeskin stiletto heel sandals with ankle strap and crocodile t-strap to…
Shoes
Azzedine Alaïa
1990s
2009.71.3
Brown embossed and printed faux snakeskin sling back stiletto heel sandals with crocodile t-strap front panel
Black suit with fitted peplum jacket, narrow below-the-knee skirt, leopard pattern body suit an…
Suit
Azzedine Alaïa
1991
92.34.1
Black wool suit with fitted riding jacket, narrow ankle length skirt; leopard pattern chenille stretch knit body suit; high-heel ankle boots in leopard printed ponyskin with black platform sole and heel
Pair of leopard print high heel lace up ankle boots with black tongue, platform sole and heel
Boots
Azzedine Alaïa
1991
92.34.1DE
High-heel front lacing ankle boots in leopard spot printed calf hair, with black glacé leather tongue, platform sole, and heel