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The enigmatic Azzedine Alaïa is one of the few designers willing to follow his own conventions and ignore fashion schedules, creating his collections at his own pace. His ability to do so stems from his prodigious talent and fashion’s seemingly insatiable appetite for his designs. His skill at cutting and his idiosyncratic takes on classic silhouettes have made Alaïa popular for decades; his designs remain the aspirational zenith for many.

Alaïa signed a partnership with the Prada Group in 2000, which led to a second renaissance for the designer. He then bought his brand back from the group in 2007 to enter an agreement with Richemont. Having remained relatively unchanged following the deal, the Alaïa brand is undergoing a renaissance as Richemont backed expansion and fragrance incentives are initiated.

Tunisian Alaïa’s love of fashion began through his reading of Vogue at a young age. After lying about his age to attend the École des Beaux-Arts in Tunis. Following his graduation he began working as a dressmaker, before electing to move to Paris in 1957. In Paris he started his career at Christian Dior as a tailleur, but soon moved to work for Guy Laroche for two seasons and then on to Thierry Mugler. He opened his first atelier in his Rue de Bellechasse apartment in the late 1970s, from which he dressed his private clientele, which included Marie-Hélène de Rothschild, Louise de Vilmorin and Greta Garbo.