On the Rue de Moussy where Azzedine Alaïa initially opened his first boutique, creative director Pieter Mulier proved that the spirit of Alaïa lives on. Since Azzedine Alaïa’s passing in 2017, the maison has reissued archival pieces and reworked existing silhouettes and materials, essentially serving as a highlight reel for the brand. However, Alaïa Spring 2022 marked the beginning of a new era for the maison, with Mulier given free rein to design the collection as he saw fit.
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But, to be clear, Alaïa Spring 2022 was not a rebirth or a shift, rather a continuation of the legacy laid out by the late Alaïa. Forgoing show notes in lieu of a thank you letter to Azzedine Alaïa, Mulier’s collection was reflective, fierce, and feminine, with a contemporary edge that serves to denote a new chapter for Alaïa while staying true to its roots and DNA.
“This collection is intended as a thank you gift. To express my sincere respect and recognition for the work you have done. Four years after your final presentation, today, July 4th, I feel honored to present this collection,” Mulier wrote in a letter to Alaïa left on each seat of the catwalk. “I tried to be faithful to your creative approach. I also tried to enter your mind…but it’s impossible. I have so many questions. So many things I imagine. You: passionate, stubborn, charming. You who have drawn beauty more than fashion, as you like to say. Thank you, Azzedine, for your audacity that helps me today to take note of creation. Thank you for your unrivaled adulation of the female figure. You were a sculptor, a genius of the hand.”
Alaïa Spring 2022 came at the perfect time; with the rise of post-pandemic ‘revenge dressing’ taking shape in body-con styles and form hugging silhouettes, the codes pioneered by Alaïa felt all the more relevant today. Opening subtly and powerfully with signature Alaïa tailoring featuring openwork seams and hooded capes, each piece within Alaïa Spring 2022 referenced key elements of the late Azzedine Alaïa’s archive, honouring the Tunisian designer’s work. Swiftly delving into the body-con silhouettes the house is revered for, Alaïa Spring 2022 riffed off pieces like cycling shorts; pairing them with stockings to create a hybrid legging situation that felt fresh and instagram-friendly without pandering.
The iconic Alaïa cowl hood was plentiful, balancing out figure-hugging silhouettes and lending an elevated tone to look, while embroidered mesh and netting, sheer body-con dresses, and exquisitely draped silhouettes were sexual and sensual, but never vulgar. And so, through Mulier, the heart of Alaïa continues to live on.
Words by Esmé Duggan
