Circularity was also there in the clothes – not in the fabrics, but the ideas. If this collection was a shift away from Mulier’s exploration of the rampant sexuality of Azzedine Alaïa ’s early work, that was no accident. In a sense, it mirrored Alaïa’s own development – his early clothes, in leather pulled taught around the body and studded with metal, grabbed attention. It was subversive, provocative, aggressive even.
But by the late 1980s, Alaïa had softened, exploring subtler curves, soon-to-be-trademark knits, a gentleness. After arresting everyone’s attention – again – with a vision shaped by Azzedine Alaïa’s early work, Mulier has mellowed, easing his work and allowing the craft to seduce as much as the shapes and sexuality. And, amidst the noise and bombast of couture week, his Alaïa managed to circle back on itself to quietly assert its handcraft, its heritage, and its soul
Circularity Azzedine Alaïa Collection Development Provocative Aggressive Subtler Curves Craftsmanship