Exhibitions in Paris: En Liberté (Freedom) at the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation

Jun 12

Linda Spierings in Azzedine Alaïa by Arthur Elgort, 1983

Famed designer Azzedine Alaïa and renowned photographer Arthur Elgort conquered the Golden Age of Fashion in the 1980s through a prolific collaboration that spanned more than a decade. Their goal was to put forth a modern woman whose independence was innate and who relished in her own boldness and confidence. The exhibition is both a photo montage and a peek into the Alaïa archives as images are displayed side by side with the real-life version of the garment pictured. In over thirty photographs, Elgort presents original supermodels in some of Mr. Alaïa’s most coveted pieces, like the Magenta bandage dress worn by Grace Jones in A View to Kill (1985). Beautifully captured in black and white, expect to see the likes of Naomi and Christy in various states of dress, playful as ever. The photos invoke a feeling of conviviality, joy, and freedom for which the exhibition is titled succinctly. En Liberté is a must-see exhibition that honors the legacy of both Mr. Elgort and Alaia while capturing the artistic spirit of the period. The retrospective will be on view until August 20, 2023, at 18 Rue de la Verrerie where Alaïa lived and worked.