This fashion exhibition in Paris reveals the intimate Africa of a master couturier in 50 silhouettes.

For Alaïa, everything often starts with the line. From July 7, 2026 to January 4, 2027, the focus here shifts toward Africa, toward the designer’s native Tunisia, but also toward landscapes, architectures and memories that fed his gaze. With the exhibition Azzedine Alaïa and Africa, the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation presents a curated journey imagined by Olivier Saillard, gathering about fifty creations, notably from the Spring-Summer 1988, 1989 and 1990 collections.

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Here we meet Alaïa, a master of dressmaking, whose work is threaded with sunlit inspirations. The openwork gowns evoke moucharabiehs; the white cottons recall the chalky façades of Tunisia, while hues like twine, putty, sand, earth or deep black lend the wardrobe a mineral warmth. Raffia, shells, braidings, bandage-style dresses with Egyptian echoes: each element enriches the silhouette without overpowering the cut. Memory becomes detail, reference becomes material, and the garment stays at the center.

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On the first floor, adjacent to Azzedine Alaïa's design studio, Peter Beard’s photographs extend the visit. They recall the designer’s 1996 journey to Kenya, among the Maasai, and invite a more intimate dialogue between fashion, imagery, and memory.

To discover in the Marais until January 4, 2027, this exhibition reads like a cutting-room diary and a memory book. A thoughtful, sensorial journey that shows how Alaïa transformed landscapes, architectures and textures into a language of couture.