Azzedine Alaia Vintage Fitted Plunged Mini Dress
About the Item
- Designer:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: M (EU)
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Naples, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU162417039672
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: Naples, FL
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Chanel S/S 2013 Runway Open Knit Double Breasted Ivory DressBy ChanelLocated in Naples, FLChanel S/S 2013 Runway Open Knit Double Breasted Ivory Dress FR 38 Look 23 from the Spring 2013 Collection. Creme Chanel silk open knit sleeveless knee-length dress with mock neck, ...Category
2010s Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Azzedine Alaia S/S 1991 Vintage "Tati" Fitted Open Back DressBy Azzedine AlaïaLocated in Naples, FLAzzedine Alaia S/S 1991 Vintage Fitted Open Back Dress M All Eyes on Alaïa For the last half-century, the world’s most fashionable and adventuresome women have turned to Azzedine ...Category
1990s Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Versace S/S 2005 Runway Cutout Open Back Belted DressBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Naples, FLVersace S/S 2005 Runway Editorial Cutout Back Belted Dress IT 44Category
Early 2000s Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Azzedine Alaia S/S 1992 Vintage Cold-Shoulder Striped Bodycon Mini DressBy Azzedine AlaïaLocated in Naples, FLAzzedine Alaia S/S 1992 Vintage Cold-Shoulder Striped Bodycon Mini Dress Size M Alaïa cold-shoulder bodycon dress with striped print throughout, squared neckline, short sleeves and ...Category
1990s Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Gianni Versace S/S 2002 Vintage Plunged Backless Dress GownBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Naples, FLGIANNI VERSACE S/S 2002 Vintage Plunged Backless Dress Gown IT 42 Gianni Versace sleeveless maxi dress with leopard print throughout, plunging neckline, ruffled trim at skirt, high-...Category
Early 2000s Evening Dresses and Gowns
- New Versace S/S 2005 Runway Cutout Back DressBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Naples, FLNWT Versace S/S 2005 Runway Cutout Open Back Dress IT 38 Look 13 from the Spring 2005 Runway. Versace sleeveless knee-length dress with signature Versace ...Category
Early 2000s Evening Dresses and Gowns
- 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
- Vintage 1950's Howard Greer Lace and Rhinestone Embellished Dress UK 8 US 4By Howard GreerLocated in Cheltenham, GBThis magnificent 1950's Chantilly lace and silk dress, in a palette of cream lace and apricot silk lining, accented by claw set silver rhinestones, this Howard Greer dress is a rare ...Category
1950s American Cocktail Dresses
- Versace Heritage Legging in Dark Orchid & Sun Baroque Print SZ 38By VersaceLocated in PUTNEY, NSWVersace Medusa Renaissance print leggings A colourful take on Versace's signature Greek-inspired motif, the Medusa Renaissance is present throughout the house's SS22 collection, as s...Category
2010s Italian Evening Dresses
- Verheyen London Flower Kimono dress in Italian Silk Satin - One SizeBy Verheyen LondonLocated in London, GBVerheyen London Flower Kimono dress in Italian Silk Satin - One Size The Verheyen London Kimono is the perfect dress for evening wear or coat dress to wear with a pair of jeans and...Category
2010s Cocktail Dresses
- Verheyen London Flower Kimono dress in Italian Silk Satin - One SizeBy Verheyen LondonLocated in London, GBVerheyen London Flower Kimono dress in Italian Silk Satin - One Size The Verheyen London Kimono is the perfect dress for evening wear or coat dress to wear with a pair of jeans and...Category
2010s Cocktail Dresses
- Verheyen London Flower Kimono dress in Italian Silk Satin Size small - NewBy Verheyen LondonLocated in London, GBThe Verheyen London Kimono is the perfect dress for evening wear or coat dress to wear with a pair of jeans and heels in the evening. Handmade in London, made with 100% Italian sil...Category
2010s Cocktail Dresses