Alaïa White Leather Double Buckle Wide Belt
View Similar Items
Alaïa White Leather Double Buckle Wide Belt
About the Item
- Designer:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 8 (UK)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:Seller: Alaa17065WhiteAccessories1stDibs: LU2832221106092
Azzedine Alaïa
Master Couturier, King of Cling: legendary fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa (1935–2017) is known by many names, each referring to his unparalleled ability to mold fabric onto the female form in unexpected and radical ways. The Tunisian-born designer spent his entire life in relentless pursuit of a wholly distinctive and most-flattering fit.
“For me, fashion is the body,” said Alaïa. “I make clothes; women make fashion.”
Alaïa is credited with inventing the supermodel through his exclusive fashion shows, the body-con dress — which, quite literally, hugs the body and emphasizes and embraces every curve — and pioneering what industry professionals have taken to calling “slow fashion.” The designer openly rejected empty, of-the-moment fads as well as the structure of biannual seasons and instead took his time, unhurried by press and releasing collections at his own pace. Most importantly, Alaïa was a visionary when it came to traditional notions of femininity and sexuality. At a time when loose, soft silhouettes were the norm, Alaïa’s sexy, waist-cinching hourglass and body-con outfits were shocking.
Alaïa’s “body-conscious clothes,” wrote fashion critic Suzy Menkes, “seemed a deliberate challenge — throwing down a sexist gauntlet in a feminist world.”
While powerful women such as Madonna, Michelle Obama, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington wear Alaïa’s creations today, his origins were remarkably humble.
Born to a farming family, Alaïa always had a creative streak. As a young boy, he would flip through women’s fashion magazines and quickly became interested in the design of women's clothing. He went on to study sculpture at the School of Fine Arts in Tunis and later worked as a tailor for a dressmaker before he found work creating garments based on Parisian haute couture designs. The combination of his classical training in sculpture and practical experience as a tailor convinced Alaïa that fashion was his calling. In 1957, he moved to Paris and worked for Christian Dior for less than a week before being fired. From there, Alaïa secured a job with Guy Laroche and opened his own maison in the 1970s.
At his core, Alaïa was a couturier who cut and sewed his samples himself. He also experimented with zips, seams, unexpected materials, textures, animal prints and floral patterns like an artist. Today, Alaïa’s clothes look untouched by the passage of time and the various trends that have materialized since their debut; they are as fresh, stylish and stunning as ever. His garments are pop-culture icons in their own right: Cher Horowitz, played by Alicia Silverstone in 1995’s Clueless, exasperated with a perpetrator holding her at gunpoint, declares, “But this is an Alaïa!”
Vintage Alaïa evening dresses, skirts and other attire continue to influence contemporary designers such as Nicolas Ghesquière and Hervé Léger. Not only are his clothes timeless in their glamour, but they also represent the groundbreaking vision of an artist, one who was known to proclaim, “I am not a designer. I am a couturier.”
Find a collection of Azzedine Alaïa day dresses, suits, jackets and more on 1stDibs.
- Gucci Black Snakeskin Horsebit Accent BeltBy GucciLocated in London, GBCONDITION is Very good. Minimal wear to the belt is evident. Minimal wear to the front is seen with an indent under the silver detailing on this used Gucci designer resale item. This...Category
21st Century and Contemporary British Belts
- Hermès Tan Leather Brass ‚ÄôH‚Äô Buckle BeltBy HermèsLocated in London, GBCONDITION is Good. Minor wear to belt is evident. Light wear to leather finish with minor indentations from buckle fastening and some warping of holes from use, a number of small dis...Category
21st Century and Contemporary British Belts
- Hermès 2009 Black & Brown Leather Reversible Belt StrapBy HermèsLocated in London, GBCONDITION is Very good. Minimal wear to the belt is evident. Minimal wear is seen to the front top piping and on the inside with an abrasion mark on this used Hermès designer resale ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary British Belts
- Hermès 2008 Black & Orange Leather Belt StrapBy HermèsLocated in London, GBCONDITION is Very good. Minimal wear to the belt is evident. Minimal wear is seen inside near the embossed brand name with a discolouration mark and an abrasion on the outside end of...Category
21st Century and Contemporary British Belts
- Marni Gold Embellished Chain Ribbon Tie BeltBy MarniLocated in London, GBCONDITION is Very good. Minimal wear to belt is evident. Minimal scratch to gemstone on this used Marni designer resale item. This item comes with original dust bag. Details ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary British Belts
- Lanvin Silver Chain Crystal Tie BeltBy Lanvin ParisLocated in London, GBCONDITION is Very good. Hardly any visible wear to belt is evident on this used Lanvin designer resale item. This item comes with original dust bag. Details Silver Met...Category
21st Century and Contemporary British Belts
- ALEXANDER MCQUEEN black leather braided detail double wrap belt 80cmBy Alexander McQueen, Sarah BurtonLocated in Hong Kong, NTALEXANDER MCQUEEN black leather braided detail double wrap belt 80cm Reference: KEDG/A00256 Brand: Alexander McQueen Designer: Sarah Burton Material: ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Belts
- Chanel Golden Metal Belt with Faceted Pearls, 1992By ChanelLocated in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FRChanel - (Made in France) Golden metal belt with faceted pearls. 1992 Spring-Summer Collection. Additional information: Condition: Good condition Dimensions: Length: from 71 cm to ...Category
20th Century French Belts
- Hermès Kelly Bandouliere Black Epsom NIBBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CANew Hermès bandouliere Kelly black leather shoulder strap. Black leather pocket in epsom leather with gold tone hardware closure Comes with booklet,...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Belts
- Walker & Hall Antique Victorian Sterling Silver BuckleBy Walker & HallLocated in London, GBWalker & Hall antique Victorian sterling silver buckle, with lovely floral edging decoration. Measuring 7.6 cm / 3 inches by 4.7 cm / 1.85 inches. The buckle is stamped with an anch...Category
Early 1900s English Belts
- 2000s Versace by Donatella Silver Chains Black Leather Buckle BeltBy Versace, Donatella VersaceLocated in West Hollywood, CAThis fabulous black leather chain Versace belt, was designed by Donatella Versace. From the early 2000s, this belt is constructed of leather and chrome metal chains. The belt feature...Category
Early 2000s Italian Belts
- 1990s Gianni Versace Silver Medusa Medallion Thin Pendant BeltBy Gianni VersaceLocated in West Hollywood, CAIn the 1990s, Gianni Versace created this silver-tone metal belt for his eponymous label. The belt features alternating diamond and circle Medusa reliefs on a chain link design. It a...Category
1990s Italian Belts