Alaïa / Grès. Beyond Fashion

We visited the Fondation Azzedine Alaia in Paris, for the Alaïa / Grès. Beyond Fashion exhibit.

'Silent and secretive, determined to a lifetime of seclusion spent entirely in the workshop, Madame Grès (1903-1993) saw herself as a sculptor.

Fully immersed in his work, with the relentless determination of tireless masters, and refusing the media excesses of his profession, Azzedine Alaïa (1935-2017) also studied sculpture at the School of Fine Arts in Tunis. This shared ambition was not corrupted by the fashion trades to which they dedicated themselves with such singularity and success. On the contrary, it elevated the art of draping for one and the art of cutting for the other to the level of guiding principles in the history of fashion.'

Although the two couturiers probably never met, they are brought together here for their similarities in approach. 

'Apostles of a certain form of simplicity, the seemingly simple creations of Grès and Alaïa hide an inherent complexity in their cut and design'.

Tracey has long used draping in her designs - one piece of leather, from toe to heel, with a similar desire for simplicity in the final product that hides a great deal of complexity. 

Find out more about Madame Grès and Azzedine Alaïa