The Artistry of Azzedine Alaïa and Thierry Mugler meets in a celebration of their shared vision in Paris

 

Veste en astrakan d’Azzedine Alaïa, 1980. © Julien Vidal

 

text by Eva Megannety

The legacy of two fashion visionaries intertwines in a new exhibition at the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, where the artistry of Alaïa and Thierry Mugler meets in a celebration of their shared vision. Running from March 3rd to June 29th, 2025, this retrospective honors the friendship and creative affinities between the two designers, offering a rare glimpse into their personal and professional bond.

Azzedine Alaïa found a kindred spirit in Thierry Mugler, whose larger-than-life creations and theatrical approach to fashion were as iconic as the silhouettes he designed. Their relationship began in 1979, when Mugler invited Alaïa to design tuxedos for his autumn-winter 1979-80 collection. The collaboration marked the beginning of a decade-long friendship that would leave an indelible mark on the fashion world.

In this exhibition, over forty works from Mugler’s archive are displayed alongside Alaïa’s own creations, allowing visitors to see how their shared creative spirit manifested in their designs. From Alaïa’s impeccable craftsmanship to Mugler’s bold experimentation with shape and form, the two designers were united by a mutual respect that transcended the runway. Both were masters of the female form, crafting garments that enhanced and empowered, each piece telling a story of elegance, strength, and sensuality.

Alaïa’s reputation as a perfectionist who favored intimate settings and close relationships with his clients contrasted with Mugler’s penchant for dramatic spectacles and larger-than-life fashion shows. Yet, together, they influenced each other in profound ways. Mugler’s theatrical flair found a new sophistication in Alaïa’s structured designs, while Alaïa’s meticulous attention to detail encouraged Mugler to refine his aesthetic and focus on the body’s natural lines. Their shared vision culminated in the 1980s, when both designers elevated glamour to new heights, drawing inspiration from the silhouettes of the 1930s and 1950s.

This exhibition is not only a celebration of two extraordinary designers but also a testament to the enduring power of collaboration. Alaïa’s dedication to preserving and enhancing his own work—through his foundation and vast personal archive—ensures that the dialogue between him and Mugler will continue to inspire future generations of designers and fashion lovers alike.

The Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, located at 18 rue de la Verrerie in Paris, remains a cultural beacon, housing not only Alaïa’s collections but also a space for art, design, and creative expression. The exhibition invites visitors to immerse themselves in the world of two legendary couturiers whose mutual admiration and creative exchange left an indelible mark on the fashion industry.

 
 

Thierry Mugler and Azzedine Alaïa 1980/1990: Two decades of artistic affinities is on view March 3 to June 29, 2025 at Saillard Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, 18 rue de la Verrerie, Paris 4e

Emily Ferguson Puts Her Spin on Andersen's Red Shoes @ Half Gallery In Los Angeles

top: Cecile Tulkens
skirt: Mugler couture


photography by Maddy Rotman
styling by Grace Dougherty
hair and makeup by Lilly Pollan


Figures swathed in ribbons as though wrapped in a breeze or a melody, Emily Ferguson borrows from music, cinema, art history and her own biography for this latest exhibition in Los Angeles. The title track of the show is a heavily chiarascuro-ed underpainting capturing an adolescent moment of exuberance, a feeling echoed in “Dancer” albeit a more specified form of activation. The painter had recently rewatched the 1948 movie Red Shoes based on the Hans Christian Andersen story and decided to put her pirouette on this ballet narrative. In real life, Emily considers herself more of a tomboy and likes that her femininity finds a release in these compositions. “Adorned” explores this tension with a young woman sporting a decidedly butch flight cap in the style of Amelia Earhart, but specked with tiny colorful bows, a direct reference to the artists late grandmother who was a seamstress. Perhaps the North Star of the exhibition is a self-portrait done in the style of Alice Neel’s famous nude: a repose of empowerment and vulnerability. 

 
 

dress: Norma Kamali
tights: Falke
shoes: St. John

Spirit Of Ecstasy: The Beauty Of The First Try By Tristan Roesler

leather jacket: Versace
top: CELINE
mini skirt: Versace
heels: Versace

photography by Tristan Roesler
styling by
Camille Franke
model
Jee at Izaio Management
makeup by Sabina Pinsone
hair by Kosuke Ikeuchi
casting by Kyra Sophie, Olga Sikorska & Ananya
fashion assistance by Sarah Masche & Finn Schiffmann
photo assistance by Lewis Berninger

full look: MIU MIU
necklace: Swarovski
socks: Octobre
heels: Versace

 

full look: Balenciaga
earrings: Swarovski
shoes: William Fan

 

sunglasses: CELINE
earrings: Swarovski
dress: CELINE

full look: Hèrmes

dress: Loewe
shoes: Ganni

necklace: Swarovski
corsage: Mugler

Papou: A Vintage Fashion Editorial Pays Homage To Greek Grandfather Steez By Hakan Solak

stylist & photographer: Hakan Solak
model: Ilias Paci (@ Viva Models)

"Back Side / Fashion from Behind", An Off-Site Exhibition @ Musée Bourdelle In Paris

In a society that is obsessed with people’s faces, "Back Side / Fashion from Behind" is an original and unexpected theme. By addressing our body’s relationship to clothing from a social and psychological point of view, the exhibition questions the perception we have of our own and other people’s backs.

The exhibition spreads across the Great Hall of Plasters, the contemporary Portzamparc extension and Antoine Bourdelle’s studio. The models on display establish a dialogue between fashion and sculpture, a dialogue with the works of this great master of the turn of the 20th century. "Back Side – Fashion from Behind" gives us a new take on the works of Bourdelle: we look with new eyes at the powerful, muscular backs and the slender outlines of his sculptures. "Back Side / Fashion from Behind"  is on view through November 15 at Musée Bourdelle 18, rue Antoine-Bourdelle, Paris 15e. photographs courtesy of Palais Galliera