Dear Shaded Viewers,
Although Azzedine Alaïa built his career in Paris, Tunisia never truly left him. The exhibition Azzedine Alaïa and Africa explores that lifelong connection, tracing how memories of his homeland and the wider African continent continued to shape his work across decades.
The exhibition follows recurring ideas rather than a chronological history. White cotton recalls the light and architecture of North Africa through openwork garments that reveal and conceal the body. Deep black appears in sculptural silhouettes whose simplicity evokes carved masks and traditional forms. Raffia, shells, natural fibers, and earthy tones emerge throughout the galleries, while references to ancient Egypt reveal Alaïa’s enduring fascination with construction and the precision of cut.
Among the highlights are the bandage dresses introduced in 1985, designs that remain closely associated with Alaïa’s mastery of the body and silhouette. Paintings by Kris Ruhs expand the exhibition beyond fashion, while a selection of Peter Beard’s photographs documents Azzedine’s journey through Maasai country in 1996, adding another layer to the dialogue between memory, travel, and artistic exchange.
All photos by Stéphane Aït Ouarab x Fondation Azzedine Alaïa
Africa remained part of the way he looked at clothing, proportion, movement, and craftsmanship. Those memories quietly accompanied him throughout his career, returning again and again through fabric, light, and form.
Yours digitally,
Pedro
