Azzedine Alaïa, sculptor of fashion, dies at 77

Azzedine Alaïa, the Tunisian-born couturier celebrated for his sculptural silhouettes and fierce independence, died in Paris at age 77. François-Henri Pinault, head of Kering, called him 'a craftsman in the noblest sense, fiercely attached to his freedom.' Alaïa studied sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts of Tunis before moving to Paris in the late 1950s, working at Dior and Guy Laroche. He opened his own atelier on rue de Bellechasse in the 1970s, attracting clients like Marie-Hélène de Rothschild and Greta Garbo. His first ready-to-wear line launched in the 1980s, with boutiques opening in Beverly Hills. In 2015, Rome honored him with an exhibition at the Galleria Borghese curated by Mark Wilson, where his creations dialogued with Bernini's sculptures. Alaïa rejected the fashion industry's calendar, showing collections on his own schedule and working with few collaborators. He perfected the moulage technique, draping on mannequins like his mentor Madeleine Vionnet. His designs, often made of stretchy viscose, moved like a second skin. Iconic clients included Grace Jones, who wore his costumes in the James Bond film 'A View to a Kill.' Alaïa collaborated with artist Julian Schnabel, who decorated his boutiques. From the 1990s, he retreated from the fashion scene but continued working for a private clientele and producing refined prêt-à-porter.