Alaia Dress Navy Black Viscosa Silk Skater FR36
About the Item
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 36 (EU)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:PARIS, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3632221435042
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: PARIS, France
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- CHANEL Pre fall 2011 Byzance Dress FR36/38 Tweed Black GoldBy Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld for ChanelLocated in PARIS, FRChanel dress Métiers d'Art Paris Byzance collection (pre fall 2011) mid-short (mid-thigh) in black, brown and gold tweed-style wool and lurex knit, widened round neck edged with an e...Category
2010s French Day Dresses
- Pre Fall 2012 Mumbai Chanel Dress Navy FR36By Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld for ChanelLocated in PARIS, FRChanel dress from the Métiers d'Art Paris Bombay collection (pre fall 2012) in navy blue terry wool, boat neck, crossed yoke on the top of the skirt conc...Category
2010s French Day Dresses
- 2008 Maison Martin Margiela 4 Black leather shirt dress tunique FR38By Maison Martin Margiela, Martin MargiellaLocated in PARIS, FRMaison Martin Margiela line 4 dress between shirt dress and tunic, oversized build, straight cut, slit hem on each side, shirt collar and neckline with...Category
Early 2000s French Day Dresses
- FW2013 Raf Simons FR42 Houndstooth black whiteBy Raf Simons for Christian Dior, Christian DiorLocated in PARIS, FRChristian Dior dress from the Fall Winter 2013 collection by Raf Simons in (thick) wool and silk cloth with black and white houndstooth pattern, wide V neckline in front, sleeveless,...Category
2010s French Day Dresses
- SS2020 Celine Slimane Silk dress jumpsuit FR40By Celine, Hedi SlimaneLocated in PARIS, FRCeline dress SS2020 collection by Hedi Slimane playsuit in silk crepe printed with a braided pattern in ecru, beige and brown tones, round neck closed with a lavaliere and a series o...Category
2010s French Day Dresses
- Gucci Dress Mini Black Soft Knit Maxi SBy GucciLocated in PARIS, FRGucci mini dress in thick black ribbed knit on the bias, sleeveless, turtleneck, unlined. Size S, i.e. 36Fr (measurements taken flat without stretching the mesh): shoulder width 31 c...Category
2010s Italian Day Dresses
- Genny Fall Winter 1994/95 Mini Dress Flared Sleeve Documented IT44 Small /MediumBy GennyLocated in Los Angeles, CAGenny Wool Minidress Documented Autunno-Inverno 1994/95 (Autumn Winter 94/95) Knee length Minidress/Shift dress Flared sleeve Bateau neckline A-line , structured shape Dark brown ...Category
1990s Italian Mini Dresses
- Yohji Yamamoto Black Leather Coat DressBy Yohji YamamotoLocated in Sharon, CTBeautiful avant garde leather and wool blend black outer coat dress.Category
Early 2000s Japanese Tunics and Wrap Dresses
- Nina Ricci 'Boutique' Paris Black and White Wool DressBy Nina RicciLocated in Sharon, CTOffering a Nina Ricci 'Boutique' 100% Wool Dress. Rolled collar and rolled hem. Fully lined.Category
1980s French Day Dresses
- VERSACE JEANS COUTURE - Black Evening Halter Dress with Sequins Size 8US 40EUBy Versace Jeans Couture, Donatella VersaceLocated in Cuggiono, MIA simple yet sophisticated evening dress, very elegant and exclusive. It features a double string closure which can be knotted on the back of the neck and automatically adjusts to yo...Category
2010s Italian Sheath Dresses
- PRADA - Brown Tunic Tent Midi Dress with Three-Quarter Sleeves Size S/MBy Prada, Miuccia PradaLocated in Cuggiono, MIFollowing Prada's sleek yet iconic style, this tunic dress features a standing ruffled collar, three-quarter sleeves with similar ruffled edges. The polyester fabric is very soft and...Category
2010s Italian Casual Dresses
- Iconic Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Olive Green Safari Tunic, 1968.By Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in New York, NYYves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Olive Green Safari Tunic, 1968. Olive green cotton tunic features laces at the front with long cords that are run through metal grommets, to be worn op...Category
1960s French Tunics and Wrap Dresses