‘I want to create clothes that carry this idea of a modern beauty,’ Alaïa creative director Pieter Mulier told Wallpaper* a year after he began his tenure at the French house, which the late Azzedine Alaïa founded in the early 1980s. ‘[A link] between now and then, between the past of Alaïa, and its future.’
Released this month, a new book gives a rare glimpse behind the scenes of Mulier’s time at the house so far – including access to the legendary atelier, which has long been the bedrock of Alaïa (the house is known for its sensual, sculpted silhouettes, which are often constructed with an architectural sensibility).
‘Alaïa by Seklaoui’: behind the scenes at Alaïa
The book is the result of a collaboration with French photographer Anthony Seklaoui, who for the past three years has documented the working process behind Mulier’s acclaimed collections, from design meetings to garment development, to meticulous fittings on models’ bodies and backstage reportage photography of the shows themselves. Mulier says it captures the ‘raw beauty’ of the creative process.
‘This book is a mapping of the feelings culminating in a show,’ describes Mulier, praising Seklaoui’s ‘sensitive yet journalistic eye’. ‘It records the hands, minds and crafts coming together to create the secret chemistry of a collection.’
The book is divided into various sections, each relating to one of Mulier’s collections for the house – culminating in last September’s New York show, which took place on the Frank Lloyd-Wright-designed spiralling staircase of the city’s Guggenheim Solomon R Museum. Together, the designer calls these his ‘first chapter’ at Alaïa. (He will show his next collection during the upcoming A/W 2025 women’s fashion week in Paris, which will presumably herald the start of ‘chapter two’.)
‘Anthony has a remarkable eye, one that can extract the beauty from the chaos,’ Mulier continues. ‘The book is a tribute to our friendship, but most of all to those who contribute to the magic of a collection coming to life. The ateliers, the teams, the production, the girls walking in the show – all those who are part of the Alaïa circle.’
The book, titled Alaïa by Seklaoui, arrives as the fourth part of Alaïa’s ‘Dialogue’, a series of ‘artistic and cultural projects’ led by Mulier that see the house reimagined through the eyes of various creatives and institutions. The first saw him outfit the dancers of Paris’ Crazy Horse revue show, captured in movement by photographer Sam Rock.
‘I have always wanted Alaïa to represent more than just clothes,’ he said at the time. ‘This is how Azzedine looked at Alaïa. He was such a visionary, that from the very start, he imagined Alaïa as a whole. As a space where fashion opens up to art and beauty. And this vision remains today. Because I believe that fashion only makes sense if it connects with its time. With the world.’
Alaïa by Seklaoui, £125, is available now from Alaïa boutiques, maison-alaia.com, and selected distributors. A larger version, in special display box, is available in limited-edition numbers.
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