Azzedine Alaïa Vintage Black Suede Corset Style Wide Belt w Decorative Lacing
View Similar Items
Azzedine Alaïa Vintage Black Suede Corset Style Wide Belt w Decorative Lacing
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: See Description (NA)
- Place of Origin:France
- Period:
- Condition:Minor wear to suede.
- Seller Location:Portland, OR
- Reference Number:Seller: 110481stDibs: LU223215177002
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.
- 1980s Escada Vintage Signature Statement Belt Leather West GermanyBy EscadaLocated in Portland, ORThis vintage dark brown leather belt from Escada was made in West Germany in the 1980's. The belt had chunky gold circles and rectangles and the letters spelling out ESCADA. The new ...Category
1980s German Belts
- Donna Karan Robert Lee Morris Black and Gold Adjustable Size BeltBy Donna KaranLocated in Portland, ORThis is a fabulous vintage collectible 1980's Donna Karan Robert Lee Morris black leather belt. The two sections of black leather are connected with gold plated chains that connect t...Category
1980s American Belts
- Maud Frizon Paris Vintage White Leather Belt With Gold & Silver TasselsBy Maud FrizonLocated in Portland, ORVintage Maud Frizon Paris leather belt with mini metal tassels in alternating shades of bronze and silver. Made in Italy. Maud Frizon is a Parisi...Category
1980s Italian Belts
- Vintage Donna Karan Deep Purple Wine Suede Belt with Gold BuckleBy Donna KaranLocated in Portland, ORThere is nothing quite like these vintage Donna Karan belts with Robert Lee Morris buckles! The quality is exceptional and we find that our clients love owning all of the different colors and styles available. Though he collaborated with several designers, it is perhaps is collaboration with Donna Karan that was a match made in heaven. Karan's simple elegant clothing was perfect for Morris' structural designs. The buckles he designed for her belts stand the test of time and are as lovely today as they were when they were designed in the latter part of the 20th century. This is a deep plum suede belt with a stylized oversized gold buckle, The belt is marked a size Small and labeled Donna...Category
Late 20th Century Italian Belts
- Edouard Rambaud Vintage Gold Textured Belt or Necklace With CrystalsBy Edouard RambaudLocated in Portland, ORThis is an outstanding gold plated belt from the late early 1990's designed by the renowned jewelry designer, Edouard Rambaud Paris! Inspired by the ancient jewelry of Greek and Roma...Category
1980s French Belts
- Valentino Vintage Fall 2002 Gold Runway Belt With Silver Double BucklesBy ValentinoLocated in Portland, ORThis stunning vintage Valentino Garavani belt is from the Fall 2002/03 runway collection. The belt is in a luxe metallic gold and features two oversized silver buckles. Similar buckl...Category
Early 2000s Italian Belts
- MCM Black Visetos Monogram Belt With Gold-Plated Logo Laurel Buckle Size SBy MCMLocated in Munich, DEThis 1980s MCM waist belt dates from that period when the company still belonged to its founder Michael Cromer. The black design is crafted from the bra...Category
1980s German Belts
- 1970s Roberta di Camerino Green Red Blue Trompe l'Oeil Buckle Motif Velvet BeltBy Giuliana Coen Camerino, Roberta Di CamerinoLocated in Munich, DEStunning extremely rare and collectible 1970s Roberta di Camerino trompe l'oeil belt. The plush velvet waist belt features the iconic belt illusion print in Roberta di Camerino's signature colouring of bottle green, raspberry-red and navy blue. Beautifully elaborate gilt-metal buckle, belt end and belt loops. The design has four holes, is lined in black leather and gold foil stamped “MADE IN ITALY BY "ROBERTA“ DI CAMERINO LEATHER-LINED". As Giuliana Coen Camerino once said: "Velvet fascinated me, because of its vibrant colours. Night blue, deep red, bottle green. They matched perfectly. I spent hours and hours searching for the best way to make this brand new fabric work." The house of Roberta di Camerino was founded by Giuliana Coen Camerino (1920-2002) in 1945 in Venice, Italy. The company's name is a combination of the name Roberta, taken from Giuliana Camerino's favourite song "Smoke gets in your eyes" and Camerino, her husband's surname. Giuliana Camerino was one of the first designers who created the idea of an easily recognizable status handbag. The neo-baroque style bags were produced of "Soprarizzo" velvet – originally used for furnishings – in the most beautiful and unusual colour combinations and clasps and studs created by the craftsmen of brass ornaments for gondolas. The result were truly revolutionary and unique bags...Category
1970s Italian Belts
- Iconic & New 1991 Gianni Versace Black Leather Gold Medusa Link Necklace / BeltBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Montgomery, TXGIANNI VERSACE vintage belt / necklace featuring iconic Medusa disc links. Designer size - 65 1991 Collection This belt / necklace consists...Category
1990s Italian Belts
- Leo Lola Coco-Brown Suede with Gilded Gold Vermeil Hardware BeltLocated in New York, NYLeo Lola wonderfully detailed coco-brown suede calfskin belt is accented with thick gilded gold vermeil finish hardware as well as the buckle. The buckle itself measures 3 5/8...Category
1970s French Belts
- Chic 1990s Anne Klein for Calderon Black and Gold Vintage 90s Classic Wide BeltBy Anne KleinLocated in San Diego, CABrand new chic 1990s ANNE KLEIN for CALDERON black and gold wide leather belt! Features an oversized matte gold braided buckle and loop. Can easily be dressed up or down. Great with ...Category
1990s American Belts
- Fabulous 1980s Fully Beaded Butterfly Colorful Black Vintage 80s BeltLocated in San Diego, CAFabulous 1980s fully beaded 'butterfly' belt! Features thousands of hand-sewn seed beads, with a butterfly motif in the front center. Vibrant colors of red, pink, blue, green and gol...Category
1980s Belts