NEW! Alaia Black Suede Gold Cut Out Gladiator Evening Sandals Heels in Box
View Similar Items
NEW! Alaia Black Suede Gold Cut Out Gladiator Evening Sandals Heels in Box
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Height: 4.5 in (11.43 cm)Marked Size: IT 36 (NA)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Chicago, IL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU359221897622
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.
- NEW! Dolce & Gabbana Runway Black Gold Evening Mary Jane Heels in BoxBy Dolce & GabbanaLocated in Chicago, ILDolce & Gabbana NEW & SOLD OUT RUNWAY Black Gold Evening Mary Jane Heels in Box Size IT 36 Velvet Gold embroidery detail Ankle button closure Made in Italy Heel height 4" Includes...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoes
- NEW! Giuseppe Zanotti Black Patent Leather Metal Heels Ankle Sock Boots BootiesBy Giuseppe ZanottiLocated in Chicago, ILGiuseppe Zanotti NEW & SOLD OUT Black Patent Metal Heels Ankle Booties in Box Size IT 36.5 Patent leather Metal heel Side zip closure Heel height 4.5" Made in Italy Includes ori...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Ankle Boots
- NEW! Alaia Black Suede Gold Cut Out Gladiator Evening Sandals Heels in BoxBy Azzedine AlaïaLocated in Chicago, ILNEW! Alaia New Black Suede Gold Cut Out Gladiator Evening Sandals Heels in Box Size IT 36 Suede Leather Zipper and tie closures Made in Italy Heel height 4.5" Includes original...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Heels
- NEW! Celine Phoebe Philo Black Leather Glove Sandals Heels in BoxBy CelineLocated in Chicago, ILSize IT 37 From 2018 Collection Leather Suede Made in Italy Heel height 3.5" Includes dust bag and boxCategory
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Sandals
$3,940 Sale Price20% Off - CHANEL CC Black Lambskin Leather Gold Metal Charm Chain Link Waist BeltBy ChanelLocated in Chicago, ILPre-Owned Vintage Condition From 1990's Collection Metal Gold Tone Total Length 30.5" Width 0.50" Charm Diameter 1.25" Lambskin Leather 100% Authenticity Gua...Category
Late 20th Century Belts
- CHANEL CC Gold Metal Rhinestone Chain Link Waist BeltBy ChanelLocated in Chicago, ILPre-Owned Vintage Condition From 1995 Collection Rhinestone Metal Gold Tone Total Length 28" Width 1" Charm Diameter 2" 100% Authenticity Guaranteed by NEWFOUND LUXURYCategory
Late 20th Century Belts
- Balenciaga Eiffel Tower Crystal Stretch Knit Knife Boot Black 35 FRBy BalenciagaLocated in DOUBLE BAY, NSWBalenciaga Eiffel Tower Crystal Stretch Knit Knife Boot Black Brand: Balenciaga Product: Eiffel Tower Crystal Stretch Knit Knife Boot Size: 35 Fr Colour: Black With Crysta...Category
2010s Shoes
- New Gucci Ad Runway 2014 Purple Orange Suede Mirrored Pump Heels Sz 37.5By GucciLocated in Leesburg, VAGucci Brand New * With Gucci Box, Dust Cover & Extra Heel Tips Spring/Summer 2014 Purple Black & Orange Suede Orange Mirrored Heels $1675 * Size: 37.5 Heels: 5.25" Platforms: 1/2"Category
2010s Italian Shoes
$1,340 Sale Price20% Off - New Gucci Ad Runway 2014 Purple Orange Suede Mirrored Pump Heels Sz 39By GucciLocated in Leesburg, VAGucci Brand New * With Gucci Box & Extra Heel Tips Spring/Summer 2014 Purple Black & Orange Suede Orange Mirrored Heels $1675 * Size: 39 Heels: 5.25" Platforms: 1/2"Category
2010s Italian Shoes
$1,340 Sale Price20% Off - Versace Grey & Silver Glitter "Cross Chainer" Sneakers Size 40By VersaceLocated in Paradise Island, BSThese Versace Cross Chainer silver sneakers feature puff-croc neoprene accents on the tongue and lining, a translucent glitter toe cap, and the defining ...Category
2010s Italian Shoes
$1,000 Sale Price20% Off - Hogan Leather and Suede White SandalsBy HOGANLocated in Bilbao, ESHogan Leather Sandals Suede effect, no appliqués, two-tone pattern, , square heel, covered heel, leather lining, rubber sole, contains non-textile parts of animal origin. Made In: It...Category
Early 2000s Italian Shoes
- Sergio Rossi Black Satin Leather Cocktail Open Back ShoesBy Sergio RossiLocated in Bilbao, ESSergio Rossi Black Satin Leather Cocktail Open Back Shoes Made In: Italy Color: Black Material: Satin Leather Marked Size: 39 Europe Heel Height: 10 cm/ 3,93 inches Born in the pro...Category
1990s Italian Shoes
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.
A Chanel Wicker Handbag Gives Impossibly Chic Picnic Vibes
Only Chanel could elevate humble materials like denim and wicker to icon-level status.