Azzedine Alaïa F/W 1988 Runway Vintage Cutout Semi-Sheer Ivory Gown Maxi Dress
View Similar Items
Azzedine Alaïa F/W 1988 Runway Vintage Cutout Semi-Sheer Ivory Gown Maxi Dress
About the Item
- Designer:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: S (NA)
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Naples, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1624110652022
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.
- Gianni Versace S/S 1999 Vintage Backless High Slit Evening Dress GownBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Naples, FLGianni Versace Vintage Backless High Slit Evening Dress Gown IT 42Category
1990s Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Gianni Versace S/S 2001 Vintage Geometric Print Belted Open Back DressBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Naples, FLGianni Versace S/S 2001 Vintage Geometric Print Belted Open Back Dress IT 44Category
1990s Evening Dresses and Gowns
- New Chanel S/S 2014 Runway Knit Chain Embellished Trim White Mini DressBy ChanelLocated in Naples, FLNew Chanel S/S 2014 Runway Knit Chain Embellished Trim White Mini Dress FR 40 Chanel sleeveless mini dress with textured pattern throughout, chain-link trim, square neck, belt accen...Category
2010s Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Jean Paul Gaultier c. 2000's Chainmail Metal Mesh Knit DressBy Jean Paul GaultierLocated in Naples, FLJean Paul Gautier Sexy Chainmail Metal Mesh Dress Size IT 40 FR 36 Heather grey Jean Paul Gaultier metal mesh sleeveless midi dress with metal mesh at...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Roberto Cavalli S/S 2004 Floral Abstract Print Asymmetric DressBy Roberto CavalliLocated in Naples, FLRoberto Cavalli S/S 2004 Floral Abstract Print Asymmetric Dress Size XSCategory
Early 2000s Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Azzedine Alaia Fitted Open Back White DressBy Azzedine AlaïaLocated in Naples, FLAzzedine Alaia Fitted Open Back Dress White Alaïa sleeveless textured bodycon dress featuring scoop neckline, crossover straps at open back and concealed ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Giambattista Valli Ivory Crepe Sleeveless Wedding Gown Dress EU 40By Giambattista ValliLocated in New York, NYElegant Giambattista Valli ivory crepe sleeveless wedding gown has a delicate fitted bust, darts to accentuate the length of waist, which is finished with a stitched ribbon at the wa...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
$2,000 Sale Price20% Off - Elaborately Beaded French FLapper Dress, c.1920sLocated in New York, NYElaborately Beaded French FLapper Dress, c.1920s Indigo knee-length gauze Flapper dress with intricate beading of art deco style motifs in shades of indigo, blue and silver. Featurin...Category
1920s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Tom Ford Crystal Embellished Statement Dress F/W 2011 Size 38ITBy Tom FordLocated in Saint Petersburg, FLTom Ford - Olive gray, Swarovski crystal lace embellished dress. The lace dress is lined in sheer nude fabric and has an invisible zipper for closure.Category
2010s Italian Evening Gowns
- Vintage 1950's Pink Swirling Satin & Tulle Dress UK 6 US 2Located in Cheltenham, GBThis iconic 1950's dress, rendered in layers of pink tulle, with delicate circular satin details, is just the piece for that special occasion. The strapless cut of the dress, featu...Category
1950s Cocktail Dresses
- Sass & Bide Silk Crepe 3 Way Maxi Harness Bustier Dress AU 8 US 2Located in PUTNEY, NSWDress Crepe Embellished Contrasting trims SilkCategory
Early 2000s Australian Cocktail Dresses
$214 Sale Price24% Off - Givenchy Couture John Galliano S/S 1997 Bouquet Floral Ribbon Print Midi DressBy Givenchy, John GallianoLocated in Chicago, ILDesigned by John Galliano for the Givenchy Couture spring/summer 1997 collection; his last collection for the label. Galliano only designed for the fashion house for 2 years which ma...Category
1990s French Empire Waist Dresses