February 26th, 1935
Azzedine Alaïa is born in Tunis, Tunisia. His family are wheat farmers in the village of Siliana, but he lives with his grandparents in Tunis where he goes to school.
Azzedine Alaïa attends the Ecole des Beaux-arts in Tunis.
He supports his studies by sewing hems for a local dressmaker and then for Madame Richard, a French dressmaker who buys haute couture patterns from Paris to remake them for her Tunisian clients.
A Paris-based Tunisian woman of high society, Simone Zehrfuss, introduces Alaïa to Parisian society. He meets Louise de Vilmorin, a friendship that lasted to the end of her life.
With her, he meets André Malraux, Miro and Jean Cocteau.
Alaïa moves to Paris during the Algerian war of Independence. He lives in a small flat (chambre de bonne) with his friend Leïla Menchari.
He works briefly for Christian Dior (under Yves Saint Laurent).
Azzedine Alaïa meets the French legendary actress Arletty (Arlette-Leonie Bathiat) while she is appearing in the play L’Etouffe -Chretien by Félicien Marceau and Alaïa starts to design clothes for her.
Alaïa works for two seasons in the Maison of designer Guy Laroche.
1959 – 1962
Countess Nicole de Blégiers gives him accommodation in exchange for looking after her children and making her clothes. He meets his lifetime partner Christoph von Weyhe, who was attending the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris.
As his reputation as a couturier spreads, he makes clothes for many women from French society, and Cécile, Lina and Marie-Hélène de Rothschild.
Alaïa moves with friend and model Rose-Marie Le Quellec to Rue de Marronier.
He buys his first important art piece, a Copte head sculpture previously owned by the famous Countess Greffulhe, who was the inspiration for Marcel Proust’s Duchesse de Guermantes.
He travels to Rome with Louise de Vilmorin.
Moves with Christoph von Weyhe to 60 Rue de Bellechasse on Paris’ Left Bank, where he establishes his Maison, eventually employing 18 people for the ateliers, making clothes for private clients and commissions from other designers.
Attends at The Olympia in Paris the concert of Oum Khalthoum which marks him for the years to come.
Alain Bernardin, founder of the Crazy Horse, invites Alaïa to design and create costumes for the 23 dancers of the famous Parisian cabaret.
Alaïa designs for Charles Jourdan and for fashion designer Thierry Mugler’s collection. Mugler expresses great admiration for the tuxedos that Alaïa creates, and includes a special note of thanks to Alaïa in the press release accompanying the collection. He strongly encourages Alaïa to create his own collections.
Influential fashion editors Melka Treanton and Nicole Crassat from Elle magazine also encourage Alaïa to create his own Maison Alaia.
Fashion journalists Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele, Carla Sozzani, Anne Marie Perier, support his work and become lifetime close friends.
Founds Maison Alaïa with Christoph von Weyhe who, while continuing his work as a painter, helps Azzedine Alaïa in every aspect of the new company.
Presents his first ready-to-wear collection – Spring Summer 1981 – at his studio apartment in the Rue de Bellechasse.
The collection features leather garments studded with metal eyelets, skirts laced at the back, metal zippers and structured leather suits, as well as stretch fabrics developed for sportswear.
Starts to work with model Zuleika.
Through Jean-Paul Goude he meets Farida Khelfa. A lifetime friendship.
In September, with Bergdorf Goodman, Alaïa presents a show in New York.
Meets Franca Sozzani and they begin a lifetime friendship.
Veronica Webb, Linda Spierings and Linda Evangelista start working with Alaïa on his fashion shows.
Alaïa moves to 17 Rue du Parc Royal, a townhouse decorated by designer and friend Andrée Putman.
For the Spring Summer 1985 collection Alaia collaborates with artists.
Alaïa designs most of Grace Jones’ costumes for John Glen’s James Bond movie ‘A view to a Kill’.
Shows three years of designs at the Palladium in New York, with sets designed by Jean-Paul Goude, with over 50 models and over 1,000 guests, including Andy Warhol, all wearing black as requested by Alaïa. The event is sponsored by department store Barneys New York and receives a standing ovation.
The French Ministry of Culture honors Alaïa with two Oscars awards for “Best French collection” and “Best Designer of the Year”.
The exhibition ‘Fashion 1980 -1985: A day with Azzedine Alaïa’ is presented at the CAPC Museum of Contemporary Art in Bordeaux, directed by Jean-Louis Froment. Alaïa’s creations are shown together with works by artist Dan Flavin. Jean-Louis Froment was the first curator to invite Alaïa to show his work in a French Museum and the mutual admiration that the two shared led to a long-lasting friendship.
Naomi Campbell makes her runway debut for Azzedine Alaïa.
Meets Paolo Roversi and Peter Lindbergh.
Becomes close friend of Tina Turner.
Spring Summer 1986 collection includes tube dresses made with body-hugging jersey ‘bandages’, inspired by Egyptian mummies.
Meets Sophie Hicks.
Azzedine Alaïa acquires a 19th century warehouse at 18 Rue de la Verrerie in Le Marais neighborhood of Paris, which he restores, creating within it his home, workshop and a boutique with furniture by his artist friend Julian Schnabel.
He starts holding fashion shows here whilst the building is being restored.
The most famous models in the world are at all his shows, Stephanie Seymour, Yasmin Le Bon, Christy Turlington, Farida.
Fall/Winter 1988/89 collection features unbleached wool, elastane jersey-ribbed sweaters and skirts, a tribute to Arletty’s costume in Marcel Carné’s film “Les Visiteurs du Soir” (1942).
The first Alaïa shop opens in New York, also with pieces designed by Schnabel.
The Spring/Summer 1988 collection is shown at the Rue de la Verrerie in May, two months later than other designer’s collections. From this date on, he will show when his clothes are ready and not according to the fashion calendar.
Starts working with Joe McKenna.
Alaïa creates Jessye Norman’s tricolor robes for the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution in Paris and all the costumes for the parade.
Azzedine Alaïa moves with Christoph von Weyhe into Rue de Moussy.
The F/W 1991 collection is a homage to panther print.
Collaborating with Tati, Alaïa makes a bag, a T-shirt and a pair of espadrilles.
It is the first time a couturier joins a mass-market brand in a collaboration.
Spring/Summer 1992 the collection is recorded in a book by Prosper Assouline.
Azzedine Alaïa is appointed Honorary President of L’Institut Mode Méditerranée upon the invitation of Maryline Vigouroux.
Collaborates with Olivier Saillard on the fashion museum Musée de la Mode de la ville de Marseille. They became very close friends.
Alaïa stops showing his collections for a few years, but continues to have private clients and sell his ready-to-wear line to few retailers.
Creates costumes for Carolyn Carlson’s ballet Vue d’ici, the View presented at the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris. The “powder puff” dress is used in the ballet.
First retrospective of his work at the Palazzo Corsini in Florence curated by Carla Sozzani.
Exhibition at the Groninger Museum curated by Mark Wilson displays Alaia’s garments with works by Basquiat, Christoph von Weyhe, César, Pablo Picasso, Julian Schnabel and Andy Warhol.
Publishes his book with the photographs of the most famous photographers and friends, Bruce Weber, Peter Lindbergh, Paolo Roversi, with a text of the French writer Michel Tournier.
Starts collaboration with Carla Sozzani on the development of Maison Alaïa.
Alaïa has a solo exhibition at the Guggenheim downtown in New York with Andy Warhol “Last Supper” paintings, curated by Mark Wilson.
The Prada group enters in Maison Alaïa, enabling Maison Alaïa to expand.
Summer/Winter 2002 collection is shown in the boutique at 7 Rue de Moussy, for the first time in years.
He starts Galerie Azzedine Alaïa at 18 rue de la Verrerie.
Opening his Maison to exhibit artists in the fields of art, fashion, design, photography and literature. In the years to follow exhibitions include: Shiro Kuramata, Pierre Paulin, Memphis Group, Andrea Branzi, Bettina, Pierre Guyotat, Kris Ruhs, Jean Nouvel and Claude Parent, Christoph von Weyhe, Richard Wentworth.
Buys back control from Prada and joins the Richemont Group.
Founds “Association Azzedine Alaia” together with Christoph von Weyhe and Carla Sozzani to protect his archives of fashion, design and art with the future perspective to become a Foundation of public interest.
Exhibition at the Groninger Museum ‘Azzedine Alaïa in the 21st century’, which then tours in 2013 to Dusseldorf, both curated by Mark Wilson.
In July presents his second Couture collection, standing ovation.
Another exhibition opens at the same time at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris in the “Salle Matisse”.
Following a number of years of closure and a complete renovation, Le Palais Galliera, Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris, reopens its doors with the first retrospective in Paris of Azzedine Alaïa’s work, curated by Olivier Saillard.
Designs the costumes for Angelin Preljocaj’s ballet Les Nuits created for the Montpellier Dance Festival.
A retrospective in Dusseldorf “Azzedine Alaïa” curated by Mark Wilson opens at the Kunstpalast.
Alaïa creates the costumes for Mozart’s opera The Marriage of Figaro, directed by Christopher Alden with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The scenography is by Jean Nouvel.
Makes an exhibition Homage to Bettina Graziani, one of his closest lifetime friends.
An exhibition of Alaïa at the Villa Borghese, directed by Anna Coliva and entitled ‘Couture/Sculpture’ is curated by Mark Wilson.
Joe McKenna makes a film on Alaïa’s work and life.
Alaïa dies in Paris on 18 November.
Linda Spierings, Marpessa Hennink, Imaan Hammam, Farida Khelfa, Marie Sophie Wilson, Stephanie Seymour, Naomi Campbell, Veronica Webb, Mariacarla Boscono, Nadège and Dilone pay homage to Azzedine Alaïa in London.
Alaïa presents his third Winter Haute Couture collection. Naomi Campbell opens the show. Creates custom piece for dancer Maria Alexandrova in Blanca Li’s ballet Goddesses and Demonesses premiers in New York.
Collaborates with the choreographer Jonah Bokaer for his ballet “Shaharazad”.
Early November presents his Summer 2018 collection.
The exhibition “Je suis couturier” curated by Olivier Saillard opens in Paris at 18 Rue de la Verrerie, where Alaïa lived and worked. This marks the opening of the Alaïa Museum.
Opening in London at The Design Museum of the exhibition « Azzedine Alaïa : the Couturier » curated by Mark Wilson.
“L’alchimie secrète d’une collection”, curated by Olivier Saillard, at 18 rue de la Verrerie 75004, from 02 of July till 06 of January 2019, 11 am – 19 pm.
“Azzedine Alaïa collectionneur”. The first exhibition dedicated to Azzedine Alaïa lifetime passion, collecting masters of fashion, art, design.
Opening on January 21st the parallel exhibition “Adrian and Alaïa, the art of tailoring” will run to June 2019 in Paris. Under the direction of Olivier Saillard.
As of the 28th of February 2020, the Fondation Azzedine Alaia has by decree been recognized as an establishment of public utility.
The missions of the Foundation are to preserve the work of Azzedine Alaïa, to organize exhibitions and to support cultural and educational activities.
In February 2021, Alaïa appoints Pieter Mulier as Creative Director, to perpetuate Azzedine Alaïa’s quest of perfection and singular vision of fashion. Always placing femininity at the heart of creation, he will carry the values of the Maison into the future.
On July 4th 2021, Alaïa presented the first Ready-to-wear and Couture collection under creative director Pieter Mulier.