ALAIA / GRES beyond fashion

Uniting the work of two “sculptors of dresses” whose formal principles and monochromatic fabrics crafted timeless designs

Determined to a lifetime of seclusion spent entirely in the workshop, Madame Gres (1903–93) saw herself as a sculptor. Azzedine Alaia (1935–2017) also studied sculpture at the School of Fine Arts in Tunis. This shared passion for sculpture was kept intact through their journey in the fashion system to which they dedicated themselves with such singularity and success. While there is no evidence that the two couturiers ever crossed paths, their creations undoubtedly did. Apostles of a certain form of simplicity, the seemingly simple creations of Gres and Alaia hide an inherent complexity in their cut and design. For the first time, this publication brings together 60 designs by Madame Gres and Alaia. United by their formal principles, their cutting techniques and the harmonious combinations of fabric and colors they commonly embraced, the clothes by both couturiers invite readers to a lesson beyond fashion.