Designer of the week is the one and only French designer Azzedine Alaia. Born in Tunis, Tunisia on February 1935. His love for couture was inspired by his twin sister, Hafida. With his love for Vogue, he decided to lie about his age to get into the Tunis Institute of Fine Arts. This is where he gained valuable insight into the human form and began studying sculpture. To help pay for school, he worked with his sister as a dressmaker. All of this laid ground work to what we see today. After graduation, Alaia began dressing private clients and in 1957, moved to Paris to work in fashion with Christian Dior as his first stepping stone being a tailleur. Since Algerian war broke out, Alaia had to leave after five days of joining the company. Guy Laroche was an inch closer for two seasons and then Thierry Mugler until he opened his fist atelier in his little rue de Bellechasse apartment in the late 1970s. In the 1980's, Alaia produced his first ready-to-wear collection. 
Later he opened boutiques in Beverly Hills and New York and soon dubbed the "King of Cling" by the media. It wasn't till the mid-90's that Alaia retired from the fashion scene and only took cared of his private clients. Dabbling in commercial success with this ready-to-wear lines, its obvious that Alaia couldn't really retire from fashion. With his workshop, boutique and showroom under one roof, Alaia felt at home. Alaia is one of those designers willing to forego conventional fashion schedules and produce collections at his own pace. Best known for his ground breaking visionary. He understood the female body, and designed around them. Drawing inspiration from the ancient Amazons, his work challenged pre-conceived notions of femininity. His designs made women look and feel the best they can be. The fashion world is influenced by Alaia because of his designs and the fact that he marches to the beat of his own drum. Signed a partnership with Prada Group in 2000. Bought his brand back in 2007 to enter an agreement with Richemont. At the age of 82, Alaia passed away in Paris due to a heart attack. 
Three years after, Pieter Mulier took over the company. He has some big shoes to fill. With two decades of being the right hand of Raf Simons and Jil Sanders, Christian Dior and Calvin Klein, his future with this power house looks promising. However, for now the legend, most creative beautiful soul will always live on.
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