Rare 1991 Museum Held Azzedine Alaia Leopard Leggings
View Similar Items
Rare 1991 Museum Held Azzedine Alaia Leopard Leggings
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Rockwood, CA
- Reference Number:Seller: Item# DD23321stDibs: LU128974962
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.
- CHANEL BY KARL LAGERFELD S/S 1997 Vintage Runway Jodhpurs Documented CampaignBy Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld for ChanelLocated in Berlin, BEChanel by Karl Lagerfeld S/S 1997 Runway Jodhpurs Brand: Chanel Designer: Karl Lagerfeld Collection / Year: Spring Summer 1997 Ready To Wear Fabric: Cotton Color: White Size: ...Category
1990s French Jodhpur Pants
- Yigal Azrouel Orange Leather PantsLocated in New York, NYSize: not listed, fit like a 4 Material: Leather Summer's Measurements: Height: 5"9 inches Bust: 32" inches Waist: 25" inches Hips: 36" inchesCategory
Early 2000s Pants
- Maison Martin Margiela Spring 2010 Haute Couture Laser Cut Leather TrousersBy Maison Martin MargielaLocated in San Diego, CARare leather trousers adorned with circular laser cuts from Maison Martin Margiela's spring 2010 Haute Couture collection. Waist: 24-26" Hip: 33-35" Inseam: 31"Category
2010s Italian Pants
- Miu Miu Leather Brown PantsBy Miu MiuLocated in LISSE, NLMiu Miu Leather Brown Pants Size IT 40 Beautiful Miu Miu leather brown pants in a size IT 40. In great condition, made in Italy. ✈️ EU & US will be shipped with UPS Expedited which...Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Pants
- Gucci Moto Belted Leather PantsBy GucciLocated in LISSE, NLGucci Moto Belted Leather Pants Size 30 inch Beautiful leather pants by Gucci featuring moto applications on the knees and zippers. Very rare piece. In great condition without any f...Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Pants
- Christian Dior John Galliano Leather Cargo Buckle PantsBy Christian DiorLocated in LISSE, NLChristian Dior John Galliano Leather Cargo Buckle Pants Size 36 Beautiful Christian Dior by John Galliano leather cargo buckle pants in a size 36 . In gr...Category
1990s Pants