Maison Alaia presented at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, a catwalk made for runway show perfection. A surreal light glow filled the rounded pathways that surround the center of the museum, watching the models in a circular motion giving the audience the feeling of being within the show, and not just viewing it from the side lines. It is the first time in history a runway show has ever taken place at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed museum. Among the crowd of VIP guests were Lewis Hamilton, Liv Tyler, and Rhianna.
Pieter Mulier honored the house founder, Azzedine Alaïa with the majestic backdrop, bringing the Spring collection to the city he considered ‘the heart-beat’ of the world. A-list models like Kendall Jenner made their way down the spiral runway in a pair of noir billowed pants and a simplistic nude bralette which was a riff on Halston’s 1970s jerseys. Noticeable to the collection was a lack of accessorized enhancements such as buttons or zippers. Each look was a body-sculpting silhouette with dramatic proportions, intricate engineering like the bra tops that shaped around the torso like a bracelet cuff holding it in place.
The collection showed movement from every angle, with oversized silk woven coats designed like a blooming poppy flower. Simplistic and body-forming, free from patterns and distracting designs, the Spring collection shows the body curves and accentuates the female silhouette.
“With Alaïa’s curves echoing the museum’s spiraled architecture, this legendary institution joins the circle of the Maison’s chosen family.”
Mulier presented a beautiful show playing homage to the founder. His creativity is contagious to others. He is rumored to be in the running for the creative director position at Chanel, but Alaïa is lucky to have him.