The Foundation

Azzedine Alaïa lived a life filled with fashion, art, design, architecture, music and theatre. For over fifty years, he had been an avid collector in all creative and cultural disciplines.

In 2007, with the painter Christoph Von Weyhe and his close friend of forty years, the publisher and gallerist Carla Sozzani he set about to preserve his own work and his large holdings by founding the Association Azzedine Alaïa, to later become the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa.

The Foundation bears a logo created by Julian Schnabel. The Foundation is located in Paris at 18, rue de la Verrerie where Azzedine Alaïa lived and worked. The Foundation is housed in a group of buildings set around an interior courtyard, landscaped with plants. At the end of the courtyard, the large exhibition gallery with a glass and ironwork roof, and on the first floor, a second exhibition gallery. There is also a bookshop dedicated to fashion, art, design, and literature, and a café in memory of Monsieur Alaïa’s famous hospitality.

As of the 28th of February 2020, the Fondation Azzedine Alaia has by decree of the “Ministère de l’Intérieur” (French Ministry of Interior) been recognized as an establishment of public utility. As was the wish of Azzedine Alaïa before his passing, the missions of the Foundation are to preserve and showcase the work of Azzedine Alaïa, and the many works from the disciplines of art, fashion and design that he collected over the course of his lifetime, to organize exhibitions and to support cultural and educational activities.

In collaboration with diverse cultural institutions, the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation has undertake the patronage of the Association’s diverse cultural program, enabling it to continue its activities of public utility and to provide to the projects that it holds dear the same support as over the last thirteen years.

The Azzedine Alaïa Foundation exhibits the work of Azzedine Alaïa and the works of art from his personal collection.

The mission of the Foundation are:

- to protect, to conserve and to showcase the work of Azzedine Alaïa, and the many works from the disciplines of art, fashion and design that he collected over the course of his lifetime.

- to organize exhibitions and to publish quality books and works of reference.

- to support cultural and educational activities.

The Foundation also fulfills an educational mandate via collaborations with fashion schools and institutions, the Foundation host conferences and research programs on the Alaïa collection, rich in over 35,000 pieces.

The Foundation also award bursaries to promising visionaries in fashion.