On The Imagist, Wayne ponders Azzedine Alaia's business model as the past, the present and the future of the fashion industry -
There is a lot of veneration going on in fashion but in the case of Azzedine Alaia, that aura of awe and respect is more than deserved. Beyond the proposition of his inarguable talent, there is also a great blueprint behind his business which a lot of young designers might want to look at as an ideal. No seasonal shows, no advertising, no freestanding boutique network, very little retail outlets and product that is about its own consistent identity, not the whims of a fashion moment. No wonder Alaia continues to sell out at places like Dover Street Market and designers like Rei Kawabuko and Miuccia Prada seek out a quiet, collaborative relationship with him. In this bracing new post-recession fashion world is the Azzedine Alia business model the future? TI wouldn't be mad if it were.
Azzedine Alaia Spring 2009 lookbook
model:Kasia Struss
Photographer: Willy Vanderperre
Stylist: Joe McKenna
