Azzedine Alaïa Zip Denim Dress (SS 1986)
Curator's Note
Azzedine Alaïa established his reputation during the early 1980s through his exceptional understanding of cut and fit. His designs emphasised the waist and hips, often using stretch fabrics, leather and denim to create clothing that followed the shape of the body. The Spring/Summer 1986 collection included several designs inspired by motorcycle jackets, incorporating oversized shoulders, prominent zips and fitted waists.
This denim dress is one of the most recognisable designs from Alaïa's Spring/Summer 1986 collection. It combines the upper half of a motorcycle jacket, with broad lapels and oversized sleeves, with a fitted pencil skirt. An asymmetric zip runs diagonally across the bodice and continues down the skirt. The curved seams and contrasting topstitching emphasise the waist and hips. The dress illustrates Alaïa's ability to transform denim into a garment with the same precision of cut as his more formal designs.
The dress appeared on the Spring/Summer 1986 runway, and Farida Khelfa was photographed wearing the design alongside Alaïa that year. An identical example is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's permanent collection in New York. Further examples belong to the Kyoto Costume Institute in Japan and the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.
Description
- Denim dress with oversized collar and broad lapels edged with exposed zippers
- Asymmetric diagonal zip front closure extending through the waist
- Sculpted waist seam transitioning to a fitted knee-length skirt
- Additional zip detailing at chest and rear patch pockets
- Cropped sleeves with zip openings at cuffs
- As seen on the SS 1986 runway
- An identical example held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art permanent collection
- Frida Khelfa photographed wearing the design alongside Azzedine Alaïa, 1986
Size & Measurements
- No size label - best fits XS-S (please refer to measurements for accurate fit)
- Measurements are taken with the garment laid flat:
- Shoulder: 46cm
- Chest: 50cm
- Waist: 34cm
- Sleeve length: 54cm
- Length: 103cm
Excellent
This garment is in outstanding condition with no or minimal signs of wear. Any flaws present are negligible and do not detract from the overall appearance or integrity of the piece.
Azzedine Alaïa
Azzedine Alaïa was born in Tunis in 1935 and trained as a sculptor before moving to Paris, where he opened his own atelier in the late 1970s. He worked by draping and sculpting directly on the model, cutting all his own patterns by hand, and his mastery of stretch fabrics and knitwear produced a closeness of fit that remains the defining quality of his work. He refused to follow the conventional fashion calendar, presenting collections when he judged them ready. Naomi Campbell, who he met on her first day as a model in Paris, was his muse and closest collaborator. He died in Paris in November 2017.
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- As seen on the SS 1986 runway
- An identical example is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection
- Frida Khelfa is photographed wearing the design alongside Azzedine Alaïa in 1986
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