Alaïa Long Flared Dress in Brown/Orange Wool with Black Dots
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Length: 57.09 in (145 cm)Marked Size: 38 (EU)Bust: 16.93 in (43 cm)Waist: 14.18 in (36 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Material Notes:Wool
- Condition:
- Seller Location:SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
- 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: SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, France
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Chanel Haute Couture Dress Spring 1972By ChanelLocated in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FRCHANEL - Silk and organza dress embroidered with flowers in shades of orange. No size label or composition, it fits a 36FR. Haute Couture Spring-Summer 1972 collection. Condition: G...Category
1970s French Maxi Dress
- Hervé Léger Elasticated Powder Pink DressBy Herve LégerLocated in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FRHervé Léger - Elasticated powder pink dress. Indicated size M. Additional information: Condition: Very good condition Dimensions: Chest: 45 cm - Waist: 32 cm - Hips: 45 cm - Length:...Category
Early 2000s Evening Dresses
- Chanel Colored Patterned Silk Dress Summer, 2001By ChanelLocated in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FRChanel - (Made in France) Colored patterned silk dress. Indicated size 40FR. Spring-Summer 2001 Collection. Additional information: Condition: Very good condition Dimensions: Chest:...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Day Dresses
- Pierre Cardin Haute Couture Long Silk Dress, Size 36FRBy Pierre CardinLocated in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FRPierre Cardin -Long silk long sleeve dress. No size label, it fits a 36FR. Model dating from the 1950s. To note, the lining has some tears. Additional information: Dimensions: Ches...Category
1970s French Evening Dresses
- Valentino Black Dress Sewn with BeadsBy ValentinoLocated in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FRValentino -(Made in France) Black dress sewn with beads. No size indicated, it corresponds to a 38FR. Additional information: Dimensions: Chest: 42 cm, Waist: 33 cm, Hips: 46 cm, L...Category
2010s French Mini Dress
- Louis Féraud Haute Couture "Universal" Dress Spring/Summer show, 1991By Louis FeraudLocated in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FRLouis Féraud - Organized dress embroidered with mother of pearl buttons. No size indicated, it corresponds to a 34FR/36FR. Pretty Woman" collection, "Universal" modem, Haute Couture ...Category
1990s French Evening Dresses
- Extremely Rare Mariano Fortuny Cotton DelphosBy FortunyLocated in Riverdale, NYThis extraordinarily rare dress is made of finely pleated white cotton. Few cotton pleated Fortuny dresses have been documented and survived.
Named after a Greek clas...CategoryEarly 20th Century Italian Art Deco Delphos Gowns
- Mariano Fortuny Rare Shell Pink Long Sleeved Delphos GownBy FortunyLocated in Riverdale, NYDescription: This dress is made of finely pleated shell pink colored silk with silk cording along side seams, and multicolored glass beads threaded through the cording.
CategoryEarly 20th Century Italian Art Deco Delphos Gowns
Mariano Fortuny Black Peplos GownBy FortunyLocated in Riverdale, NYThis dress is made of finely pleated black colored silk with silk cording along side seams,shoulders and tunic hem with multicolored glass beads threaded through the cording.
...CategoryEarly 20th Century Italian Art Deco Delphos Gowns
Mariano Fortuny Black Delphos GownBy FortunyLocated in Riverdale, NYThis dress is made of finely pleated black colored silk with silk cording along side seams, and multicolored glass beads threaded through the cording.
Named after a ...CategoryEarly 20th Century Italian Art Deco Delphos Gowns
Mariano Fortuny Sienna Peplos GownBy FortunyLocated in Riverdale, NYThis dress is made of finely pleated sienna colored silk with silk cording along side seams,shoulders and tunic hem with multicolored glass beads threaded through the cording.
...CategoryEarly 20th Century Italian Art Deco Peplos
MICHAEL KORS COLLECTION 1992 Vintage Lace Mini DressBy Michael KorsLocated in Leonardo, NJMichael Kors Vintage Runway SS92 USA size Medium but fits closer to a size Small Pristine Measurements in inches laying flat: length 34, smallest of waist 13, hips 16. Can stretch 2 ...Category1990s Cocktail Dresses