New Azzedine Alaia Vintage Bodysuit
About the Item
- Designer:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: XS (EU)
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Naples, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1624122044302
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 2001 Semi-Sheer Mesh Black BodysuitBy ChanelLocated in Naples, FLChanel S/S 2001 Semi-Sheer Mesh Black Bodysuit FR 36Category
Early 2000s Bodysuits
- Azzedine Alaia Vintage Bustier Cutout Back Bodysuit SwimsuitBy Azzedine AlaïaLocated in Naples, FLAzzedine Alaia Vintage Sexy Open Cutout Back Bodysuit Swimsuit All Eyes on Alaïa For the last half-century, the world’s most fashionable and adven...Category
1990s Bodysuits
- New Chanel Cruise 2016 Runway Sequin Embellished Swimsuit BodysuitBy ChanelLocated in Naples, FLNEW CHANEL RUNWAY SEXY SEQUIN OPEN BACK SWIMSUIT BODYSUIT FR 36 US 4 From the 2016 Cruise Collection. Black Chanel one-piece swimsuit with sequ...Category
2010s Bodysuits
- Gianni Versace S/S 1992 Vintage Plunging Baroque Print Sheer Lace Bodysuit TopBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Naples, FLGianni Versace Intimo S/S 1992 Vintage Plunging Baroque Print Sheer Lace Bodysuit Top IT 38 Condition: good vintage condition, some pulling not noticea...Category
1990s Bodysuits
- Azzedine Alaia Vintage Bustier Cutout Back Gold Bodysuit SwimsuitBy Azzedine AlaïaLocated in Naples, FLAzzedine Alaia Vintage Bustier Cutout Back Gold Bodysuit Swimsuit Please note size tag has been removed.Category
1990s Bodysuits
- Tom Ford for Gucci S/S 1998 Logo Monogram Bra Bikini Dress Lingerie 3 Piece SetBy Tom Ford for GucciLocated in Naples, FLTom Ford for Gucci S/S 1998 Runway Logo Monogram Bra & Bikini & Sheer Mesh Mini Dress Lingerie 3 Piece Set Please note the bra and the dress are size S and the bikini is size M.Category
1990s Lingerie
- Flower print and lace night-gown and negligée Christian Dior Lingerie for SaksBy Christian DiorLocated in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FRFlower print and lace night-gown and wrapped negligée with shoulder pad. Fabric composition : 100% polyester. Size S on tag but fit more likely LCategory
1980s American Negligees
- Vivienne Westwood Gold Metallic Lace Corset, fw 1993By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GB▪ Archival Vivienne Westwood Corset ▪ Fall-Winter 1993 ▪ Gold metallic lace ▪ Ivory cotton mesh side panels ▪ Built-in boning ▪ Zip closure at the centre-back ▪ Size: UK10 - US6...Category
1990s British Corsets
- Morphew Collection Indigo Blue Orange Blossom Novelty Print Cold Rayon Bias MaxBy MorphewLocated in New York, NYMorphew Collection Indigo Blue Orange Blossom Novelty Print Cold Rayon Bias Maxi Slip Dress Maxis MORPHEW COLLECTION is made entirely by hand in our NY...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Slips
- Morphew Collection Cream, Black & Red Cheetah Novelty Print Cold Rayon Bias MaxBy MorphewLocated in New York, NYMorphew Collection Cream, Black & Red Cheetah Novelty Print Cold Rayon Bias Maxi Slip Dress Maxis MORPHEW COLLECTION is made entirely by hand in our NY...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Slips
- Vintage Moschino 1990s Black and White Velour Pearl Encrusted Bodysuit SwimsuitBy MoschinoLocated in San Diego, CASexy 90s MOSCHINO black velour bodysuit, encrusted with white pearls! Features a soft crushed velour that stretches to fit. Flat headed pearls adorn the top portion on the front and ...Category
1990s Italian Bodysuits
- 1992 Vivienne Westwood x Sock Shop Black Toile Sheer Mesh Bodysuit TopBy Vivienne WestwoodLocated in Sheffield, GBIconic 1992 Vivienne Westwood x Sock Shop stretchy mesh Bodysuit. Size XS-S, The Mannequin seen here is a UK 6 and the Body suit fits Perfectly ! Features: Short sleeves ...Category
1990s Unknown Bodysuits