When I was in London a couple of weekends ago, I was looking for an exhibition to see and, while there weren’t many that grabbed my fancy, Azzedina Alaïa: The Couturier at the Design Museum looked intriguing.
I might not be a fashionista, but I enjoy fashion and am familiar with Azzedine Alaïa’s work, and was curious to see what his clothing would look like up close.
The exhibition is the first in the UK to be solely dedicated to the late Tunisian designer and was co-curated by the legendary couturier and his friend, curator Mark Wilson, and I was surprised to see the entire exhibition contained within one large, open-plan room.
The exhibition features around 60 items of clothing, mostly dresses, dating from the early 1980s through to Alaïa’s last collection in 2017.
The pieces are grouped together according to theme and the themes included “exploring volume”, “Spanish accent” and “other places, other cultures”.
The pieces on display were exquisite, and it was fascinating to be able to examine the clothing up close and see the intricate detail and superb craftsmanship that went into making them.
I might not have wanted to wear all the pieces (some are best left to Amazonian supermodel-types), but I could nevertheless appreciate Alaïa’s exceptional knowledge of structure and fabric.
My favourite dresses were the seven dresses that made up the “sculptural tension” display (above). The black velvet dress (above, 2nd from right) and the sculpted pleated leather dresses either side of it were my favourites and I’d have been very happy if any of them had made their way into my wardrobe.
I also adored the slinky, hooded purple dress from the “wrapped forms” display and all the dresses in the “timelessness” section.
Along the walls hung a number of photos of Alaïa, along with famous models, actresses and singers (notably Naomi Campbell and Grace Jones) wearing his creations. There was also a short film playing.
Azzedine Alaia: The Couturier is a fascinating glimpse inside the world of an exceptional designer and is filled with fabulous, jaw-dropping fashion.
It was interesting to see how the designer’s style evolved over the years and to have an opportunity to appreciate how clever his designs were.
My only complaint is I felt the exhibition was overpriced for what it was. It didn’t take long to look at everything (20 minutes or so, if you were really taking your time) and £16 seemed a bit steep for such a small collection.
But that aside, it’s an intriguing exhibition and one that’s likely to appeal to those interested in fashion and design.
Info
Azzedine Alaia: The Couturier at the Design Museum, 224-238 Kensington High Street, London W8 6AG
Until 7 October 2018
Adults £16, children (six to 15 years old) £8, concessions and students £12
designmuseum.org/exhibitions/azzedine-alaa-the-couturier
Little Old World 
Leave a Reply