Designer Profile: Azzedine Alaïa

When picking a designer I wanted it to be someone special and someone that I admired and inspired to be like. I chose Azzedine Alaïa. Alaïa was born in Tunisia a small country in northern Africa. Growing up with a twin sister who loved fashion Azzedine was inspired by her and was addicted to couture. A friend of his mother gave him Vogue magazine every month and he soon realized that fashion is what he wanted to do.
His creativity led him to his local Ècole of Beaux-Arts in Tunis. After he graduated he worked as a dressmakers assistant before making his way to the fashion capital of the world, Paris. He then had a short stint with designer Christian Dior. He also worked for Guy Laroche for two seasons. He then moved onto bigger and better things dressing stars like Greta Garbo. The rest as they say is history. He was the number one designer to the stars throughout the 1980s.
Following the death of his twin sister in the early 1990s he virtually vanished from the fashion scene and only dressed a few high profile clients. Following his hiatus in 2000 he signed a partnership with the mega super power Prada.
In July 2007, he decided to buy back his House and brand name from the Prada group. Although till this day Prada still owns his footwear and leather goods division.
He then signed a partnership with The Richemont Group who currently owns Cartier and Van Cleef.
As a designer he is a free-spirit, only showing when he has produced clothing that he is proud of. He refuses the market driven logic of luxury conglomerates and continues to focus on the "it-bags."
He states in an interview with Crowd Magazine that "Fashion was dead" and that designers now make clothes so that the media talks about them. Alaïa focuses on discreet luxury. He said that the real money for Designers is in perfumes and handbags. I don't completely agree with but he has a point, most people are for likely to purchase a perfume then a two grand dress. He still remains the same free- spirit that he was when he was owned by Prada or another company in his philosophy of clothes production.
His clothes are sold at Barney's New York alongside Lanvin and Balenciaga and his footwear primarily sold at Bergdorf Goodman.
In pop culture: he's been mentioned in the movie that we all know and love: Clueless. When Cher is getting mugged she mentions that she's wearing a very important designer "Alaïa"-- thought I'd share that with you since its one of my all time faves .
Also celebs like Miley Cyrus and Victoria Beckham have worn him to many red carpet events. Most recently Kendall Jenner wore a dress by him to the Hunger Games premiere last week. Of course a dress that she borrowed by her older sister Kimmie lol. Even the First Lady Michelle Obama has worn his designs to many political events.

The reason why most women prefer him is because he makes clothes for real women. His dresses are very delicate and flattering to the female figure just like Michael Kors.
Here are some of the pictures that I found from this designer..
Hope y'all enjoy and let me know what you guys think!!!