Azzedine Alaïa: a couturier's collection / with essays by Miren Arzalluz, Olivier Saillard, Ariel Stark-Ferré, Robinson Boursault ; couturier profiles by Olivier Saillard

Abstract

"A stunning showcase of Azzedine Alaïa's remarkable fashion collection, published here for the first time. Azzedine Alaïa (1935-2017) was not only a world-renowned fashion designer but also an avid collector of vintage fashion. Now a major exhibition at the Palais Galliera, Paris, Azzedine Alaïa showcases the extensive collection he built up over the decades, driven by his fascination with the history of couture and his desire to conserve its heritage for future generations. Accumulated in utmost secrecy and never revealed during his lifetime, the sumptuous selection of garments ranges from the nineteenth-century elegance of Jacques Doucet and the House of Worth to the names that shaped twentieth-century fashion--Chanel, Balenciaga, Dior, Schiaparelli--and contemporary innovators such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Alexander McQueen. Captured in specially taken photographs, these meticulously crafted pieces are a tribute to Alaïa's unerring tastes, to the couturiers who inspired and influenced him, and to his endless respect for the craftspeople who created such objects of lasting beauty"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents

Preserving fashion heritage from Maurice Leloir to Azzedine Alaïa / Miren Arzalluz -- Azzedine Alaïa : a passion for French couture / Olivier Saillard -- A love of American style / Ariel Stark-Ferré -- The voices of invoices : Alaïa the collector / Robinson Boursaul -- The Azzedine Alaïa collection -- I. The 19th century -- II. Masters of couture -- III. A deeper dive -- IV. Contemporary designers -- Henri Matisse: costumes for The song of the nightingale.