the art and photography collection

Art came first to me. When fashion tires me, with collections and dresses, I turn my attention to art and I calm down. Azzedine Alaïa

azzedine alaïa, rue de bellechasse, 1966 ph. jean-pierre ronzel

The first important work of art that he purchased was a small scultpure of a Coptic head, bought from a small shop in 1963. He would later learn that this little statuette had once belonged to the Countess Greffulhe, who provided Marcel Proust with the inspiration for the character the Duchess of Guermantes. This piece of art would accompany him throughout his life, like a talisman.

Over the course of his lifetime Azzedine Alaïa also collected paintings, art objects, and the works of by artists friends such as César or Julian Schnabel.

azzedine alaïa, in his room by Jean Prouvé, 2007 PH. floriane de lassée

Photography has always been very important for Azzedine Alaïa, since his youth in Tunisia. Friends with the greatest photographers of our time, for the images for his book  Azzedine Alaïa he called upon Helmut Newton, Peter Lindbergh, Paolo Roversi, Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Ellen von Unwerth, Martine Barrat. Sharing a brotherly friendship with Gilles Bensimon and Jean-Paul Goude, he worked with and collected the work of Horst, Sarah Moon, Irving Penn…

ARTHUR ELGORT

born in 1940

Arthur Elgort is an American photographer, born in New York.

He began his career  at American Vogue in the early 1970s, and worked with the magazine for over thirty-five years.

He is known for his innovative approach, favouring movement and natural light and breaking with the rigid codes of fashion photography. Elgort gave his images a new freedom by leaving the studios, opening the windows, making the city and its movement the new setting of his photoshoots.

These iconic images from the end of the 20th century showcase  the long collaboration between Alaïa and Elgort, who both  actively contributed to the renewal of the representation of a woman becoming more and more assertive, determined, and independent.

"Azzedine and I always got along. Maybe because we didn’t speak each other’s language. I took pictures and Azzedine cheered. And he was always willing to get intothe picture which suited me perfectly.We just enjoyed each other."

  • Azzedine Alaïa, at rue de la Verrerie, Paris, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Azzedine Alaïa, at rue de la Verrerie, Paris, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Azzedine Alaïa, at rue de la Verrerie, Paris, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Arthur Elgort and Grethe Holby Elgort, New York City, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, rue de la Verrerie, Paris, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell and Jennifer Gimenez, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell and Jennifer Gimenez, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell and Jennifer Gimenez, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Linda Spierings, Paris, 1983 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Linda Spierings, Paris, 1983 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Linda Spierings, Paris, 1983 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Linda Spierings, Paris, 1983 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Linda Spierings, Paris, 1983 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Azzedine Alaïa and Linda Spierings, Paris, 1983 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Azzedine Alaïa and Linda Spierings, Paris, 1983 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Azzedine Alaïa and Linda Spierings, Paris, 1983 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Azzedine Alaïa and Linda Spierings, Paris, 1983 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Linda Spierings, Paris, 1983 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Linda Spierings, Paris, 1983 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Linda Spierings, Paris, 1983 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Azzedine Alaïa and Jeny Howorth, Portofino, 1984 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Azzedine Alaïa and Jeny Howorth, Portofino, 1984 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Yasmin Le Bon and Azzedine AlaÏa, New York City, 1985 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Models after the Show, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Azzedine Alaïa and models after the Show, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Yasmin Le Bon, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Yasmin Le Bon, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Yasmin Le Bon, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Veronica Webb and Azzedine Alaïa, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Veronica Webb, Paris, 1985 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Veronica Webb, Paris, 1985 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Joan Severance and Azzedine Alaïa, Paris, 1982 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Joan Severance, Paris, Vogue, 1982 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Joan Severance, Paris, Vogue, 1982 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Joan Severance, Paris, Vogue, 1982 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Joan Severance, Paris, Vogue, 1982 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Frederique van der Wal, Paris, 1985 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Grace Jones, New York City, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell and Azzedine Alaïa, New York City, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, New York City, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, New York City, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell and Azzedine Alaïa, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell and Azzedine Alaïa, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell and Azzedine Alaïa, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell and Azzedine Alaïa, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, Paris, 1988 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell and Azzedine Alaïa, Paris, 1988 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Jennifer Gimenez, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Gimenez and Azzedine Alaïa, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Gimenez and Azzedine Alaïa, Paris, 1986 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Christy Turlington, New York City, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Christy Turlington, New York City, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Christy Turlington, New York City, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Christy Turlington, New York City, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Christy Turlington and Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid, New York City, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid, New York City, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Marpessa Hennink, Paris, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Naomi Campbell and Azzedine Alaïa backstage, Paris, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Azzedine Alaïa and Veronica Webb, backstage, Paris, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Jasmin Le Bon, backstage, Paris, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Yasmin Le Bon and Veronica Webb, Paris, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Alaïa fashion show, Paris, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Alaïa fashion show, Paris, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Rue de la Verrerie, Paris, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort

  • Rue de la Verrerie, Paris, 1987 ph. Arthur Elgort