ALAIA black viscose blend CREPE WEAVE SHORT SKATER Dress 38 S
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Zürich, CH
- Reference Number:
Azzedine Alaïa
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Zürich, Switzerland
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- DOLCE & GABBANA black WAIST BELT Cap Sleeve Shift Dress 42 MBy Dolce & GabbanaLocated in Zürich, CHDolce & Gabbana cap sleeve dress in black acetate (71%), elastane (5%) and nylon (24%) with a wide neckline and a front patent leather decorative waist belt. Closes on the back with ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Casual Dresses
- DOLCE & GABBANA black wool Boucle FLORAL SCARF Dress 40 SBy Dolce & GabbanaLocated in Zürich, CHauthentic Dolce & Gabbana bouclé dress in black wool (66%) silk (20%) and polyamide (14%) with a black&white floral print silk (100%) scarf to bind around the neck and at the armhole...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Shift Dresses
- CHLOE green black COLOR BLOCK Lace 3/4 Sleeve Mini Dress 34 XXSBy ChloéLocated in Zürich, CHChloé long-sleeve pussy-bow dress in sage green, off-white and black crochet in acetate (53%), viscose (47%) main material. Wool (58%), polyamide (17%), ang...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Shift Dresses
- FENDI indigo blue cotton DENIM OVERSIZED Shift Dress 42 MBy FendiLocated in Zürich, CHauthentic Fendi oversized long sleeve denim dress in indigo cotton (100%). Elastic ruffled shoulder part and cuffs. Two slit-pockets on the side and pleated stand-up collar. Has been...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Shift Dresses
- VALENTINO red wool & silk EMBELLISHED Sleeveless Flared Dress 44 LBy ValentinoLocated in Zürich, CHauthentic Valentino sleeveless dress in red virgin wool 65% silk (35%) embellished with multicolor cabochon studs. Lined in red silk. Has been worn and is in excellent condition. Ta...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Shift Dresses
- CELINE dark blue leather Short Sleeve Shift Dress 38 SBy CelineLocated in Zürich, CHauthentic Celine short sleeves shift dress in pigeon blue lambskin leather (100%) with round neck-line and seams detail at the front. Closes with a zipper on the back and has slit po...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Shift Dresses
- c. 1970s HALSTON Orange Matte Jersey Halter Dress with Matching JacketBy HalstonLocated in New York, NYc. 1970s HALSTON Orange Matte Jersey Halter Dress with Matching Jacket; Draped U-Neckline with Cowl Back; Rouleau Strap with Hook and Eye Closure; Slit at Center Front; Short Sleeve ...Category
1970s American Aesthetic Day Dresses
- ALAÏA 1990 black knitted mini dressBy Azzedine AlaïaLocated in Genève, CHAlaïa knitted mini dress with sheer raised edge skirt -Back closing with a hidden set zipper -Long sleeves -Nude knitted lining -Made in Italy -100% V...Category
1990s Italian Mini Dress
- ALBERTO BINI 1990 leather mini dress with gold tone Lion NEW with tagBy AlbertoLocated in Genève, CHThis vintage dress from Alberto Bini is coming directly from the 90s, and it's also a beautiful ode to Versace universe. -Lion detail in metal gold tone ...Category
1980s French Mini Dress
- D&G 90S gold spaghetti strap hand print Mini DressBy Dolce & Gabbana, D&G by DOLCE & GABBANALocated in Genève, CHMiami club vibes! This dress speaks for itself and is just plain FUN. We love the curated color way, especially the pops of chartreuse, lilac and baby pink. A faux patent leather tr...Category
1990s Mini Dresses
- Moschino vintage dressBy MoschinoLocated in London, GBMoschino vintage dress Moschino archive vintage grommet lace-up bodice belted detail side zip condition: this item is a vintage/pre-worn piece so some signs of natural wear and a...Category
Early 2000s Casual Dresses
- VIVIENNE TAM 90's vintage red long maxi dressBy Vivienne TamLocated in Leonardo, NJVivienne Tam Vintage Size 2 (Medium) Pristine FINAL SALE. NO returns, exchanges, etc. This fire engine red Vivienne Tam spaghetti maxi dress is the perfect Summer piece. Wear with ...Category
1990s Maxi Dresses