Azzedine Alaïa: couturier and collector

Palais Galliera Musée de la Mode de Paris is currently hosting an exhibition dedicated to Azzedine Alaïa, the Tunisian-born French fashion designer. Entitled Azzedine Alaïa: couturier and collector, the exhibition showcases the exquisite pieces that Alaïa collected over the course of his life.

Alaïa was renowned for his mastery of tailoring and his ability to create flattering and feminine silhouettes. His designs have been worn by some of the most iconic women of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Grace Jones, Tina Turner, and Naomi Campbell. 

Alaïa was also a passionate collector, amassing a vast archive of over 20,000 pieces. He began his journey with Cristóbal Balenciaga and then acquired the works of such iconic couturiers as Alexander McQueen, Christian Dior, Gabrielle Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli and Jeanne Lanvin. The exhibition at the Palais Galliera features a selection of over 140 never-before-seen pieces from Alaïa’s collection. 

“For many years now, I’ve been buying and receiving dresses, coats and jackets that reflect the glorious history of fashion. It has become part of my corporate attitude to preserve them, a mark of solidarity with those who, before me, knew the pleasures and demands of the scissor. It is my personal tribute to all the crafts and all the ideas that these garments embody,” Azzedine Alaïa has once said.

Azzedine Alaïa: Couturier and Collector is open to the public until January 28, 2024. For more information, visit the Palais Galliera Musée de la Mode de Paris website.

Featured image by PATRICIA CANINO