Rihanna, Lady Gaga and the Fashion Community Mourn the Death of Iconic Fashion Designer Azzedine Alaïa
Fashion

Rihanna, Lady Gaga and the Fashion Community Mourn the Death of Iconic Fashion Designer Azzedine Alaïa

The French Haute Couture Federation announced Saturday that beloved designer Azzedine Alaïa has died at age 77, reportedly from heart failure. The fashion community has been sending out tributes to the late iconic designer, known for his structured and body-con couture designs that broke the mold of over-the-top 80s silhouettes and whose influence can be seen throughout fashion today.

Born in Tunisia, Alaïa was also known for refusing to bow to pressure to keep up with ever-increasing industry timelines, preferring instead to work at his own pace.

Alaïa's evening dresses, form-fitting knits and tailored leathers were his trademarks, leading the fashion world to dub him the "The King Cling" because his clothes fit so snugly. In the body-con world we live in today, Alaïa's importance as an innovator is all the more clear.

Many of the designer's friends and muses -- including Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Victoria Beckham -- paid tribute to him today on social media, along with an outpouring of sentiments, memories and thoughts on his impact from the fashion community at large. Alaïa also counted Tina Turner, Madonna, Michelle Obama and Grace Jones among his patrons, according to WWD.



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