ALAIA pale lilac viscose TEXTURED KNIT Flared Dress 40
View Similar Items
ALAIA pale lilac viscose TEXTURED KNIT Flared Dress 40
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Zürich, CH
- Reference Number:Seller: 424641stDibs: LU138029161292
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.
- LOUIS VUITTON white & pink silk TULIP PRINT Sleeveless Maxi Dress 36 XSBy Louis VuittonLocated in Zürich, CH100% authentic Louis Vuitton 2019 sleeveless maxi dress in off-white, purple, green, black and pink silk (100%). Features a v-neck with faux buttons and a tulip print. Opens with a c...Category
2010s Casual Dresses
- CHRISTIAN DIOR copper silk 2020 LUREX 3/4 SLEEVE GOWN Maxi Dress 38 SBy Christian DiorLocated in Zürich, CH100% authentic Christian Dior Resort 2020 keyhole lurex maxi dress in copper, green and blue silk (66%) and polyester (34%). Features long raglan sleeves (sleeve measurements taken f...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Casual Dresses
- DOLCE & GABBANA black red viscose FLORAL SICILIA GARLAND BUSTIER Dress 40 SBy Dolce & GabbanaLocated in Zürich, CH100% authentic Dolce & Gabbana floral bustier dress in black, pink, red, off-white and green viscose (70%), nylon (24%) and elastane (6%) with Sicilia Garland print. Opens with a zip...Category
2010s Casual Dresses
- ERMANNO SCERVINO white cotton BRODERIE ANGLAISE SHIRT Dress 44 LBy Ermanno ScervinoLocated in Zürich, CH100% authentic Ermanno Scervino button down shirt in white cotton (80%) and polyester (20%). Features 3/4 sleeves and is embellished with broderie anglaise. Opens with six buttons on...Category
2010s Casual Dresses
- ERDEM cotton 2020 Maudie MEADOW PARK FLORAL MIDI Dress 12 MBy ErdemLocated in Zürich, CH100% authentic Erdem Pre-Fall 2020 belted midi dress in gray, pink, blue and black cotton (100%). Features an all-over floral print, puff sleeve and a square neck. Opens with a conce...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Casual Dresses
- CHRISTIAN DIOR white cotton 2014 CHEETAH HIGH LOW Dress 44 XLBy Christian DiorLocated in Zürich, CH100% authentic Christian Dior cheetah print a-line dress in off-white, black and gray cotton and viscose (assumed as content tag is no longer le...Category
2010s Casual Dresses
- Vintage Junya Watanabe Black & White Gingham Parachute Dress 2003By Comme des Garçons, Junya Watanabe Comme des GarçonsLocated in Los Angeles, CAResurrection Vintage is excited to offer a vintage Junya Watanabe for Comme des Garcons sleeveless black and white gingham check parachute dress featurin...Category
Early 2000s Japanese Day Dresses
- MORPHEW COLLECTION Blue & White Cotton Red Butterfly Kaftan Made From Vintage JBy MorphewLocated in New York, NYMORPHEW COLLECTION Blue & White Cotton Red Butterfly Kaftan Made From Vintage Japanese Kimono Fabric MORPHEW COLLECTION is made entirely by hand in our NYC Ateliér of rare antique ma...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Kaftans
- Vintage Fernando Sanchez Cream Silk Bohemian Maxi Dress 1970sBy Fernando SanchezLocated in West Palm Beach, FLVintage Fernando Sanchez cream silk bohemian maxi dress from the 1970s. Beautiful dress, the fabric is translucent, great worn with a belt (belt ...Category
1970s American Kaftans
$550 Sale Price26% Off - Vintage 1920s Blue and White Cotton Day DressLocated in London, GBA pretty and easy to wear vintage cotton day dress from the 1920s. In a blue and white print, the dress has a gathered collar with white trim and tie at the neck. It has a tie back ...Category
1920s British Day Dresses
- VERSACE OFF WHITE METAL HARDWARE EMBELLISHED LEATHER Dress 44 - 10By VersaceLocated in Montgomery, TXVERSACE Off white Leather Dress Gold-tone hardware Back zipper Sleeveless Knee length Content: 100% leather armpit to armpit 18" wai...Category
2010s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- 1950s White with Red Polka Dot Day DressLocated in San Francisco, CA1950s white cotton day dress featuring a red polka dot print, puritan collar, bric-a-brac trim, front button closure, plastic buttons, and a matching pla...Category
1950s Day Dresses
$140 Sale Price20% Off