1990s Rare Alaia Black Lace Evening "Trench"
View Similar Items
1990s Rare Alaia Black Lace Evening "Trench"
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 38 (EU)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Paris, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU375495682
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.
- Dolce & Gabbana black silk moiré embellished evening coat, fw 1997By Dolce & GabbanaLocated in London, GB▪ Dolce & Gabbana showpiece evening coat ▪ Sold by One of a Kind Archive ▪ Constructed from black silk moiré ▪ Embellished with hundreds of red crystal sto...Category
1990s Italian Coats and Outerwear
- Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld cream mohair wool coat and dress ensemble, fw 1998By Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld for ChanelLocated in London, GB▪ Chanel cream mohair wool coat and dress ensemble ▪ Designed by Karl Lagerfeld ▪ Oversized open-front coat with matching belt ▪ Large notched lapels ▪ Built-in shoulder pads ▪ ...Category
1990s French Coats and Outerwear
- 1991 DOLCE & GABBANA Emerald Green Satin Coat DressBy Dolce & GabbanaLocated in Austin, TX1991 DOLCE & GABBANA Satin Coat Dress Emerald Green Condition: Excellent 100% Polyester Made in Italy 35" length Size 40 / current US 0/SCategory
1990s Italian Coats and Outerwear
- Vintage Caftan Sleeveless Black with Pink Embroidered, ca. 1980sLocated in North Hollywood, CAAmazing vintage handmade sleeveless caftan, black color with pink rim threads. Circa 1980's. The kaftan is embroidered and embellished entirely by hand. This authentic caftan has b...Category
1980s Moroccan Caftans
$520 Sale Price20% Off - Moroccan Damask Metallic Floral Kaftan Fortuny Style CoatLocated in North Hollywood, CAStunning and elegant Moroccan caftan with silver metallic Moorish floral damask brocade. Handcrafted Moroccan kaftan, coat, hand made by Moroccan fashion designer in Morocco great to...Category
1980s Moroccan Caftans
$1,200 Sale Price20% Off - 2000S ANN DEMEULEMEESTER Yellow, Orange & Red Nylon Parachute Multi Layered SleBy Ann DemeulemeesterLocated in New York, NYTagged a European size 38 with additional work room sample tags meaning this could be a runway or press sample and may not have been put into production. Also check out the coordinat...Category
Early 2000s Belgian Evening Dresses and Gowns