July saw the opening of the exhibition Azzedine Alaïa and Africa, at the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation in Paris, exploring the perpetual influence of Africa in one of fashion’s most celebrated designers. The exhibition reveals how memories, landscapes, materials and cultural references from Africa inspired Alaïa’s creative vision throughout his work.

While establishing his career in Paris, Azzedine Alaïa always declared that Tunisia – his home country – and the African continent remained central influences to his practice. Openwork dresses and shirts drawing on the geometric patterns of mashrabiyas; white cotton garments reference the limewashed architecture, another lasting source of inspiration for Alaïa.

The exhibition also showcases Alaïa’s particular use of black. Hoods, fluid silhouettes, and pared-back designs show how the designer used colour, material and construction to shape clothes starting from the body. Garments from the 1983 and 1984 collections are a great example of this aspect of his practice.

Natural materials like raffia, twine, seashells and cowrie shells feature prominently in designs from the Spring/Summer collections of 1988, 1989 and 1990, reflecting inspirations drawn from sub-Saharan Africa. Another chapter examines Alaïa’s interest in ancient Egypt, whosewrapping techniques informed the development of his iconic bandage dresses, first introduced in 1985. These designs remain among the clearest demonstrations of his technical mastery and innovative approach to construction.

The exhibition also includes photographs by Peter Beard documenting Alaïa’s 1996 journey through the Maasai country in Kenya. These images record a formative moment for the designers’ life and reflect the lasting impact that the trip had on his creative outlook.

Presented at the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation – established to preserve the designer’s work alongside his extensive collections of fashion, art, photography and design – and curated by Olivier Saillard, the exhibition dwells on the lasting  dialogue between personal memory, cultural heritage and couture. The display allows visitors to get a deeper understanding of how Alaïa transformed his own personal story and lifelong inspirations into a distinctive design language that continues to shape the practice of contemporary fashion.