Azzedine Alaïa, known for his body-con dresses and huge celebrity following just announced that he will be opening a flagship store in Paris this spring, according to the Financial Times. The designer, who has for the most part stayed independent from the fashion establishment (he doesn’t advertise, have a website or Twitter), has seen quite a lot of growth in the past couple years and even more publicity — from gaining double the space at Barney’s last year, to Sophia Coppola’s Alaïa wedding dress and Kim Kardashian flaunting one of his designs at Elton John’s Oscar party (pictured).
The store, which is actually a five-floor hotel that will function as a store/showroom/offices, is actually the first store opened by the designer since 1992. Back in the ’80s during the height of his career, there were multiple stores in L.A., New York and Paris, but he eventually closed them down to become more private. With designer Herve Leger making a killing from the bandeau dress in the last decade, maybe Alaïa decided it was time to take back the reins. Even so, the new store won’t be flashy and you won’t see big signs advertising its location. According to the Financial Times, it’s going to be a “those-who-know-address, albeit in the middle of all the action.”
[Photo courtesy Keystone Press]
Tags: Alaia flagship store, Alaia store Paris, Azzedine Alaia fashion, Azzedine Alaia new store Paris, Azzedine Alaïa Paris store, Kim Kardashian Alaia dress, Kim Kardashian Oscar Party 2012, new Alaia store