Olivier Saillard

Alaia was not only a renowned couturier but also a passionate fashion historian and an insatiable collector, an interest he cultivated since the 1960s. He gathered over 20,000 garments in his life, from the birth of haute couture to pieces by contemporaries he admired. This book showcases for the first time the priceless personal collection of Dior designs that Alaia assembled over decades pieces by Christian Dior as well as the artistic directors that followed him at the helm of the House. The collection is analyzed through thematic chapters, dedicated to the elements that awaked the curiosity of Alaia s collector genius: the construction of the dresses their architecture ; the poetry of the names of creations such as Belle de mai, Jolie c ur, Rose pompom, Bal de printemps, Fete a Grenade, Soiree a Bangkok, Mystere de New York, Soiree tenebreuse, Angelique, Opera bouffe, Musique de nuit, Illusioniste, Aventure, Embuscade, Coquette, or Caprice; the enchanting multitude of the color tones and textures of the fabrics and materials. Illustrated by beautiful photographs of the dresses, historical archival images, drawings by Christian Dior, and collection charts detailing fabrics samples and sketches, this book offers a fresh view of Dior s history and will appeal to fashion lovers everywhere.

This book, published to accompany the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation's current exhibition (running through June 29, 2025), explores their extraordinary friendship, creative collaborations, and lasting impact on the history of fashion. Azzedine Alaïa moved to Paris from Tunis in 1956 and quickly became the favorite couturier of the French high society like Louise de Vilmorin and many celebrities, including Greta Garbo and Claudette Colbert. In 1979, he crossed paths with Thierry Mugler, igniting a deep friendship and creative partnership that would go on to shape the fashion landscape of the 1980s. That same year, Mugler invited Alaïa to design a series of tuxedos for his autumnwinter collection, publicly acknowledging his contribution in the press kit. Mugler’s support proved crucial — he introduced Alaïa to key fashion figures and played a pivotal role in persuading him to present his first runway show in New York in 1982, even assisting with the event's organization. Together, their shared vision celebrated a powerful femininity, structured silhouettes, and Hollywood-inspired glamour, which marked a sharp contrast to the folkloric trends that had dominated the previous decade.

A stunning showcase of Azzedine Alaïa’s remarkable fashion collection, most published here for the first time. Azzedine Alaïa (1935–2017) was not only a world renowned fashion designer but also an avid collector of vintage fashion. Based on a major exhibition at the Palais Galliera, Paris, the book showcases the extensive collection he built up over the decades, driven by his fascination with the history of couture and his desire to conserve its heritage for future generations. Accumulated in the utmost secrecy and never revealed during his lifetime, the sumptuous selection of garments ranges from the 19th-century elegance of Jacques Doucet and the House of Worth to the names that shaped 20th-century fashion – Chanel, Balenciaga, Dior, Schiaparelli – and on to contemporary innovators such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Alexander McQueen. Captured in specially taken photographs, these meticulously crafted pieces are a tribute to Alaïa’s unerring tastes, to the couturiers who inspired and influenced him, and to his endless respect for the craftspeople that created such objects of lasting beauty.

Embodying Pasolini documents the extraordinary performance curated by Olivier Saillard and poetically brought to life by Tilda Swinton. Serving as part fashion object and part catalogue, this publication is the sole record of Swinton's critically acclaimed sold-out performance-that was by its very nature an ephemeral artwork-but also serves as a survey of the impressive costumes designed by Danilo Donati for Pier Paolo Pasolini's films. From movies including The Gospel According to Matthew, The Hawks and the Sparrows, Oedipus Rex, Porcile, The Decameron, The Canterbury Tales, and Arabian Nights to Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom, their costumes-garments, coats, and hats-retrace Pasolini's entire cinematography, which continues to fascinate audiences almost half a century after the director's passing. The camera of German photographer Ruediger Glatz takes readers both on stage and behind the scenes of the performance, and directs their gaze to details and close-ups, intensifying the beauty and mystery of the moment. Written by Swinton and Saillard, the texts offer an exclusive perspective into the creation and realization of the performance. A passionate ode to cinematic costume design and fashion, Embodying Pasolini elevates couture to a veritable art form.

Azzedine Alaia (1935 2017) was regarded as a contemporary fashion genius. Edited by his close friend, Carla Sozzani, and life partner, Christoph von Weyhe, this new volume presents an unprecedented view into Alaia s early life and career, from his native Tunisia and 1956 arrival in Paris, to his breakthrough 1982 New York show. From apprenticeships to encounters with Paris s creative and society crowds, this book pays homage to Alaia s evolution. Chronological chapters depict a designer devoted to his work while enjoying friendships with such individuals as Arletty, Orson Welles, Claudette Colbert, Jean Cocteau, Louise de Vilmorin, and Andre Malraux. Quotes by Alaia accompany gorgeous photographs of iconic dresses and lesser-known designs, providing captivating stories behind the inspirations for his creations, while interviews share intimate anecdotes from Serge Lutens, Thierry Mugler, Carlyne Cerf, and more. Accompanying an exhibition at the Azzedine Alaia Foundation, this unique publication delves into rare archival materials, private photographs, and prominent publications to powerfully illustrate the fascinating journey of a fashion legend.

A behind-the-scenes history of Pitti Uomo and the creative development of men’s fashion over the past 40 years Since the 1980s, men’s fashion has left behind the staid predictability of earlier years and undergone a fundamental mutation. Men are now acknowledged to have the same desires as women in deriving pleasure from appearance and ornament. The time when a wife would choose her husband’s clothes for him is long over. Fashion marketed to men, presented at Fashion Week shows and distributed in specialized stores, has gotten more and more exciting, and men’s fashion has accordingly enjoyed a growing critical recognition of its creative nature. Since 1972 Pitti Uomo, the trade show for men’s fashion held twice a year in Florence, has been the principal protagonist of these developments. Registering minimal variations in trends as well as great changes, Pitti Uomo has become the most influential show of menswear and continues to attract the most creative designers. A Short Novel on Men’s Fashion uses Pitti Uomo as the lens through which to consider the exhilarating recent progress of men’s fashion. Bringing together personal perspectives by journalists and key figures on how menswear has changed over the last 40 years, alongside illustrations of designs by brands such as Armani, Fred Perry, Church’s, Marni, Aspesi and Brunello Cuccinelli, A Short Novel on Men’s Fashion offers an engaging insider history of recent developments in menswear.

On January 21, 1971, couturier Yves Saint Laurent presented his Spring-Summer haute couture collection. Inspired by the garments of the war years, the collection included short dresses, platform shoes, square shoulders, and exaggerated makeup. The show caused an outrage among the public, the critics, and the press alike, earning it the title of ? Paris?s ugliest collection.? Nevertheless, the haute couture designs of the runway made their way to the boulevards, giving full sway to the ?retro? trend that quickly conquered the streets. Yves Saint Laurent: The Scandal Collection, 1971 offers a behind-the-scenes look at the influential collection that ?drew fire in the fashion world??from the collection?s inspiration to the press coverage that followed. Beautifully illustrated and documented with well-researched essays, this book is enriched with personal interviews and archival photographs of the show, the models, the designs, and the textile and print samples, as well as sketches and international press clippings.

An exquisitely illustrated examination of the influence of fashion, as conceived by Olivier Saillard and interpreted by Tilda Swinton. The Impossible Wardrobe documents three groundbreaking exhibitions curated by Olivier Saillard and poetically brought to life by Tilda Swinton. Serving as part fashion object, part catalog, and part artist book, this work not only consists of the sole record of Swinton's critically acclaimed sold-out performances-that were by their very nature ephemeral artworks-but also serves as a unique survey of the Palais Galliera's extraordinary collection of iconic clothing. This lavish three-book set presents the three performance pieces that spanned a period of three years. In The Impossible Wardrobe (2012), Swinton walks down a runway with a selection of historically and culturally significant garments from the past 200 years. In Eternity Dress (2013), a garment is tailor-made for the actress in front of a live audience. And in the third performance in the series, Cloakroom (2014), Swinton examines the special relationship between an item of clothing and its owner. A glorious ode to fashion, The Impossible Wardrobe presents and elevates couture to a veritable art form.

Originally published to accompany the recent, hugely successful exhibition at the Musée de la Mode et du Textile in Paris, which Christian Lacroix styled and co-curated, this book draws on the Museum’s staggering archives to tell the story of fashion from the 18th century to the present day, as seen through Lacroix’s inimitable eye. It also juxtaposes the collections with the most significant designs from Lacroix’s own career, bringing to light the fundamental stylistic and formal principles that make up the history of fashion.