Alaïa collects Dior: an exceptional double exhibition in Paris

This autumn, two exceptional Parisian venues are hosting a groundbreaking exhibition on the profound links between Azzedine Alaïa and Christian Dior. A rare dive into French haute couture through the eyes of a couturier-collector.

Starting inautumn 2025, the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa and La Galerie Dior are teaming up to present an original double exhibition, soberly entitled Alaïa collects Dior. This initiative highlights a little-known aspect ofAzzedine Alaïa: his role as a passionate collector, particularly of Christian Dior pieces. The result is a rare dialogue between two icons of French fashion, brought together through period creations and striking stylistic correspondences.

A unique look at Dior’s heritage

Since his early days, Azzedine Alaïa has collected more than 600 couture pieces, preserved in his foundation. Among them, some one hundred Dior models, never before shown to the public, are now on display at La Galerie Dior, avenue Montaigne. The collection pays tribute not only to Christian Dior, but also to his successors such as Yves Saint Laurent and John Galliano, whose silhouettes resonate with Alaïa’s world.

The exhibition is distinguished by its approach: it is not a simple retrospective, but a sensitive face-to-face encounter between two couturiers, through choices of conservation, staging and interpretation. The exhibition is curated by renowned fashion historian Olivier Saillard, with the collaboration of Gaël Mamine.

At the Fondation Alaïa: a dialogue of forms and ideas

In the Marais district of Paris, the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa presents a selection of pieces directly comparing Alaïa’s creations with the Dior models he chose to keep. The exhibition shows how the New Look, launched by Dior in 1947, had a lasting impact on the Tunisian-born designer, who was also attached to formal demands, structure and elegance.

Paris thus becomes the stage for a heritage dialogue, in which the history of couture is told by those who made it, but also carefully preserved. The exhibition highlights a form of silent transmission, made up of admiration, respect and artistic heritage.

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