With all sincerity, it feels somewhat reassuring that the images for this latest Azzedine Alaïa collection have arrived well past Paris Fashion Week—that the maison is upholding the late designer’s practice of putting things out into the world according to internal standards, versus a prescribed calendar.
That said, the showroom visit took place last month, during PFW, when buyers could place their orders and models with perfect posture cycled through the looks. Back then, it was still TBD which pieces would end up in the lookbook you see here. But longtime collaborator and returning stylist Joe McKenna was once again judicious in his selection of the Editions, demi-couture, and ready-to-wear pillars that now define the label’s offerings.
With the focus being Fall-Winter, coats and jackets unsurprisingly assume a starring role. Whether double-breasted and mannish, in leather with a segmented basque, or the more familiar, A-line forms, each construction was flawless up-close. And these varying silhouettes will speak to all the women who are already accustomed to investing in such understated power dressing.
Colorful butterflies, meanwhile, will make a far more extroverted statement—one that will be recognizable to anyone whose archival memory of past collections stretches back to 1991. A devout animal lover, Monsieur Alaïa apparently had a particular fondness for les papillons and the freedom they represented. Freshly revived (originals can still be found on 1stdibs and other vintage sites), they are rendered in printed poplin, jacquard knit, and embroidered tulle alike. They give this collection a lovely lightness, balancing out a certain formal respect for house codes that comes across in the designer’s absence.
A few other notable mentions: shearling tamed by a spiraling embroidery; suede punctuated with dimensional tags and knit motifs that conjured alternate animal themes; wavy Op Art–ish graphics; and the demi-couture gown in froths of champagne silk lace, which served to remind of the delicate, time-intensive techniques that the atelier does so well. Oh, and you can be pretty sure the butterfly berets will be a hit: if not a nod to legendary Alaïa fan Cher Horowitz, then a (relatively) accessible accessory that registers eternally Parisienne.
