LACOSTE, FRANCE — The Savannah College of Art and Design is honored to present the exhibition Azzedine Alaïa: L'Art de la Mode at the university's SCAD FASH Lacoste museum in Provence, France. Opening Monday, 27 June, L'Art de la Mode is a highlight of SCAD's summer exhibitions programming, which celebrates the milestone 20th anniversary of the university's global location, SCAD Lacoste. The expertly curated exhibition is organized in collaboration with Olivier Saillard, director of Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, Paris.
"Lauded for his sculptural silhouettes, Azzedine Alaïa created memorable couture and readyto-wear for generations. Years ago, I was fortunate to spend a special day with Alaïa in his Paris home — a day I will never forget. He was indisputably an original, known for his everlasting kindness and inventiveness. Alaïa's brilliance shines ever so brightly in L'Art de la Mode at SCAD FASH Lacoste this summer, replete with a carefully curated selection of masterworks from this genius creator's personal archives. Summer in Provence just got a lot more dazzling."
Paula Wallace | SCAD President and Founder
Tracing the arc of Alaïa's legendary career, L'Art de la Mode artfully presents 20 career-defining gowns, sleek suits, and other exquisitely tailored creations from the designer's archives that evoke his timeless aesthetic and evidence his artistic triumphs. The exhibition showcases Alaïa's mastery of silhouette, and his icon status as a virtuoso of cut and proportion, heralding his gift of constructing garments that remain unrivaled in accentuating the female form.
Born in Tunisia, Alaïa was inherently creative and drawn to the arts from an early age. A trained sculptor educated at the École des Beaux-Arts in Tunis, he moved to Paris in the mid-1950s and began working for the house of Christian Dior, further honing his craft in the haute couture ateliers of Guy Laroche and Thierry Mugler. After cultivating a loyal clientele of women from Parisian high society, the designer opened his Maison Alaïa in 1979 and was instantly revered internationally for his signature body-con silhouette, and aptly named the "King of Cling." As the one true couturier of the body, Alaïa set a feminine ideal in which the most glamorous women of his time, from Greta Garbo to Tina Turner to elite supermodels and muses Naomi Campbell, Stephanie Seymour, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, and a coterie of devoted clients around the globe found the true image of themselves. A constant innovator, Alaïa perceived fashion as an art form and was involved in every step of the design process, meticulously constructing garments meant to drape and accentuate the female body to perfection.
"With this exhibition, the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa is proud to celebrate the 20th anniversary of SCAD Lacoste, the global epicenter of one of the best international universities for the arts. I would like to thank Paula Wallace for her vision of creativity and innovation in all areas of culture."
Carla Sozzani | President of Fondation Azzedine Alaïa
L'Art de la Mode is the second exhibition for the legendary couturier presented by SCAD FASH and curated in collaboration with Saillard and Fondation Azzedine Alaïa. In 2020, SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta presented Alaïa-Adrian: Masters of Cut, pairing sleek designs and impeccably tailored looks by Alaïa and Gilbert Adrian. Alaïa was a consummate collector of Adrian's work, and the exhibition revealed the designers' intertwined and enduring legacies.
"Fondation Azzedine Alaïa is delighted to collaborate with SCAD for the second time, now in Lacoste, in an intimate format where the art of the couturier can be appreciated. Created for the public — and Alaïa enthusiasts — this exhibition flourishes from the eyes of SCAD students and all those who will appreciate the art of sculpting that the couturier expressed in his fashion."
Oliver Saillard | Director of Fondation Azzedine Alaïa
This summer, SCAD Lacoste students from a variety of top-ranked degree programs including fashion, art history, performing arts, painting, and film and television, will have the opportunity to admire Alaïa's exquisite creations and participate in master classes and lectures with representatives from Maison Alaïa.
SCAD FASH Lacoste will host an exclusive preview of L'Art de la Mode, Saturday, 25 June, celebrating the exhibition in honor of the legendary designer as well as commencing summer festivities on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of SCAD Lacoste. The evening will also include the premiere of SCAD Lacoste Les Nocturnes, a mesmerizing light show along the cobblestone Rue Saint-Trophime, and the unveiling of Mars Grotte, a captivating installation by famed visual artist Marcus Kenney (SCAD M.F.A., photography, 1999).
"L'Art de la Mode celebrates the extraordinary genius of Azzedine Alaïa who was far ahead of his time and beloved by the world's most fashionable women for his creations of flawless fit that boldly highlight the female form. Alaïa's mastery of design and dedication to his craft are exalted in this exhibition, which will inspire our students and visitors to SCAD FASH Lacoste alike."
Rafaek Gomes | Curator and Director of Fashion Exhibitions at SCAD FASH
L'Art de la Mode is on view at SCAD FASH Lacoste, June 27–Oct. 29, 2022. SCAD FASH Lacoste is free and open to the public. Join the celebration at scad.edu/lacoste20.
Media contact
Scottie Walden Albertson
Director of Public Relations
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About Azzedine Alaïa
Azzedine Alaïa was born in Tunis, Tunisia, in 1935. The son of wheat farmers, Alaïa discovered fashion through the cinema. He was enchanted by glamourous film stars like Arletty and Greta Garbo, both of whom he would later dress. Upon arriving in Paris, Alaïa worked briefly for Christian Dior before transitioning to life as a private couturier. For decades, he created beautiful clothing for French society women. In 1981, with encouragement from fashion designer Thierry Mugler and fashion journalist Carla Sozzani, Alaïa founded his own maison and presented his first collection in his studio apartment. Over the years, Alaïa received countless accolades from his peers, the fashion press, and the French Ministry of Culture, which honored him with two Oscars de la Mode. In addition to presenting collections, Alaïa formed the Association Azzedine Alaïa to preserve his archives and sizeable personal collection of fashion, art, and design. After Alaïa's death in 2017, the Association became a public interest foundation dedicated to showcasing his legacy.
SCAD Lacoste
SCAD Lacoste is a residential study-abroad location in France, offering immersion in the history and culture of Provence. Course offerings each quarter are varied to apply to all SCAD areas of study and are taught by SCAD professors. Lacoste is a beautifully preserved medieval village and historic destination for artists, known for its extraordinary light and exquisite pastoral setting. SCAD Lacoste structures dating from the ninth to the 19th centuries feature cutting-edge contemporary amenities. SCAD Lacoste resources include a library, a gallery, a dining hall, and housing, as well as teaching studios dedicated to painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and digital imaging. Students interact with visiting artists, take field trips to museums and historic sites in the area, and have the opportunity to exhibit their work at a local vernissage.
Celebrated artists and designers visit with SCAD Lacoste students throughout the year. Notable guests have included actor and designer John Malkovich; designer Bibhu Mohapatra; social media influencer, photographer, and inventor of the cinemagraph Jamie Beck of Ann Street Studio; interior designer and television host Genevieve Gorder; installation artist Hugo Dalton; design legend Ilse Crawford; chief creative officer of Shimoda Design Group Joey Shimoda; Vogue contributing editor Lynn Yaeger; and CFDA Fashion Award-winning designers Shane Gabier and Christopher Peters of Creatures of the Wind.
SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
SCAD is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering more than 100 graduate and undergraduate degree programs across locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCADnow.
SCAD enrolls more than 15,700 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 120 countries. The future-minded SCAD curriculum engages professional-level technology and myriad advanced learning resources, affording students opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and realworld assignments with corporate partners through SCADpro, the university's renowned research lab and prototype generator. SCAD is No. 1 in the U.S., according to Art & Object's 2021 Best Art Schools ranking, with additional top rankings for degree programs in interior design, architecture, film, fashion, digital media, and more. Career success is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. For the past four years, 99% of SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. SCAD provides students and alumni with ongoing career support through personal coaching, alumni programs, a professional presentation studio, and more.
For more information, visit scad.edu.