Alaia white broderie anglaise padded bra, circa 1992
View Similar Items
Alaia white broderie anglaise padded bra, circa 1992
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU14022269533
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.
- Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Crystal Adorned Mr. Pearl Corset, ss 1996By Christian LacroixLocated in London, GB▪ Archival Christian Lacroix Mr. Pearl Corset ▪ Haute Couture, Spring-Summer 1996, Look #53 ▪ Sold by One of a Kind Archive ▪ Museum Grade Introducing the Archival Christian Lacroix Corset...Category
1990s French Corsets
- Vivienne Westwood Toile de Jouy cotton corset, ss 1996By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GB▪ Vivienne Westwood white cotton corset ▪ Blue 'Toile de Jouy' print ▪ Boned stomacher ▪ Matching printed overlay with lace-up fastening and fold-over collar ▪ String ties on the s...Category
1990s English Corsets
- Prada by Miuccia Prada grey and green crocheted wool bra top, fw 2017By Prada, Miuccia PradaLocated in London, GB▪ Prada knitted bra top ▪ Designed by Miuccia Prada ▪ Crocheted grey, green and black pure new wool ▪ Bow detail at the centre-front ▪ Snap-button closure...Category
2010s Italian Bras
- Vivienne Westwood grey corset with Thomas Gainsborough dog print, fw 1992By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GB▪ Rare Vivienne Westwood grey corset top ▪ Dog print from a detail of Thomas Gainsborough's - Tristam and Fox c. 1775–85 ▪ Red bow applique ▪ Centre-back ...Category
1990s British Corsets
- Vivienne Westwood white jersey Conduit Street corset, ss 2002By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GB▪ Vivienne Westwood corset top ▪ Sold by One of a Kind Archive ▪ Spring-Summer 2002 ▪ White cotton jersey ▪ Black text print of a Vivienn...Category
1990s Corsets
- Vivienne Westwood lace screen printed denim corset and jeans, fw 1992By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GBVivienne Westwood lace screen printed denim corset and high rise slim jeans Fall-Winter 1992Category
1990s British Corsets
- 1940S Baby Blue Bias Cut Rayon Crepe De Chine Slip Dress With Lace TrimLocated in New York, NY1940S Baby Blue Bias Cut Rayon Crepe De Chine Slip Dress With Lace TrimCategory
1940s Slips
- Edwardian Cream Embroidered Cotton Voile & Lace Tea Dress With Empire WaistlineLocated in New York, NYEdwardian Cream Embroidered Cotton Voile & Lace Tea Dress With Empire Waistline And Half SleevesCategory
Early 1800s Loungewear
- Pink and Brown Pucci Shirt DressBy Emilio PucciLocated in New York, NYPink and Brown Pucci light weight nylon jersey shirt dress for Formfit Rogers. Designed originally as loungewear for home wear, these versatile packable pi...Category
1960s American Loungewear
- 1930 pale blue hand embroidered silk combinaisonLocated in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FRpale blue hand embroidered silkCategory
1930s French Lingerie
- 1930 pale blue silk lingerie combinaisonLocated in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FRpale blue silk lingerie combinaison with appliqué and top-stitching on the bust. Cut in biaisCategory
1930s French Lingerie
- 1930 Off-white embroidered silk combinaisonLocated in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FROff-white embroidered silkCategory
1930s French Lingerie
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Azzedine Alaïa Was a Couturier Who Thought Like a Sculptor
The first fashion exhibit to be held at the new London Design Museum celebrates the famed Tunisian-Parisian couturier's lifetime of work.
This Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen Ensemble Is Part Zsa Zsa Gabor, Part ‘Blade Runner’
As Burton steps away from the brand, it’s a fitting time to revisit one of her visionary designs.