1960s
A private Paris atelier
After moving from Tunis to Paris, Alaïa established a workshop on rue de Bellechasse for private clients. This atelier practice preceded the ready-to-wear label’s wider recognition.
The House & Its Designers
Alaïa
Paris · Atelier established in the 1960s
A sculptor’s understanding of the body, expressed in cloth and leather.
Azzedine Alaïa built his reputation through cut and fit. His close study of the body gave stretch knits, leather and eveningwear a precision that later shaped the house’s accessories.
3 photographs · Reviewed August 2026
Explore the history ↓
01 / The house
The story behind the name.
1980s
Clothes built around the body
His fitted dresses and technical knits made construction visible without sacrificing movement. He worked to his own rhythm, often outside the standard fashion calendar.
2017–2026
The work continues
Alaïa died in 2017. Pieter Mulier, appointed in 2021, brought the founder’s sculptural approach to a new generation; his tenure concluded with the March 2026 show. The foundation preserves Alaïa’s work and collections.
02 / The designers
The people who shaped the house.
Selected creative chapters; dates distinguish appointments from runway debuts.
Founder · died 2017
Azzedine Alaïa
A designer and cutter whose practice moved between sculpture, intimate fittings and material experimentation.
2021–2026
Pieter Mulier
Mulier explored the house’s curves, volume and technical knitwear, extending its sculptural language into accessories.
03 / The bags
A vocabulary in leather and form.
A selection of the house’s designs. Resale photographs illustrate individual examples; size, finish and condition vary.
01
Mina Bag
Openwork leather brings the house’s interest in pattern and construction to a tote.
More designs to know
- Le Papa
- A structured flap bag with a precise, restrained silhouette.