Dress

Azzedine Alaïa

ca. 1986 · leather, metal · Costume Institute

Azzedine Alaïa focuses on the challenges inherent in the transformation of two-dimensional textiles into sculptural three-dimensional garments. Like Balenciaga and Vionnet, Alaia has an obsessive interest in the characteristics and manipulation of cloth. In his atelier, it is not uncommon for the evolution of a textile, or the creation of a pattern, to gestate for months or even years. Because his fashions are not directional, it is possible to observe the steady advancement and refinement of concepts and techniques in each collection. He built his reputation in the early 1980s on his expertise in cut and construction, creating complex patterns that mold to the female form. This coat dress of black leather is tailored to exaggerate the broad shoulder and narrow waist.

Artist

Azzedine Alaïa

Date

ca. 1986

Medium

leather, metal

Culture

French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Purchase, The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation Inc. Gift, 2013