Carla Sozzani on Dior & Alaïa: “The woman was always the most important”

Carla Sozzani: First of all, the book is a reflection of the exhibition currently on view at the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation. Azzedine is widely known as an extraordinary couturier, but he was also a passionate collector of the great masters of his craft – and Christian Dior was one of the most important among them.

In fact, Azzedine began collecting Dior long before the house itself started building its archives in 1987. He had been deeply fascinated by Dior ever since his early days in Paris. When he arrived from Tunisia, he briefly interned at the house of Dior. Although it didn’t last long, the experience left a profound impression on him.

The atelier, the petites mains, the dedication to craftsmanship – all of this shaped his vision of what he wanted to become. He always insisted, “I am not a designer, I am a couturier.” His ambition was to create something timeless, to reach that level of excellence – and he ultimately became one of the greatest.

In that sense, it felt entirely natural to present their work side by side.

The Dior archives were also incredibly generous. Over the course of two years, they worked closely with us on the pieces in Azzedine’s collection – photographing them, dating them, and helping us build a deeper understanding of them.

At the moment, Paris is home to two complementary exhibitions that together create a complete picture: at the Dior Gallery, around 150 pieces from Azzedine Alaïa’s collection are on display, while at the Fondation Alaïa, our exhibition explores a dialogue between the two couturiers.

No, the collection spans across different periods. There are even some Saint Laurent pieces included.

What is interesting is that there are many garments with extremely small waists. He most likely acquired them from models or mannequins from fashion shows. But overall, the collection is very diverse – daywear, evening wear, short and long dresses, tailored jackets. It’s a very large collection, around 600 pieces.

No, Azzedine never really met Christian Dior.

He did a short internship there, but it lasted only a few days, and Dior passed away shortly after. So he saw him, but we cannot say he knew him. It was more a form of admiration for his work.

There are many similarities, not so much in aesthetics, but in their integrity and in the way they worked. They both had a strong desire to achieve perfection.

Christian Dior is the pure couturier, and Azzedine wanted to become the best couturier. He spent his entire life searching for perfection.

If you look at aesthetics, there are also some connections. The tiny waist was very important for Azzedine. The ballerina-like dresses appear in both Dior and Alaïa. And the use of nude tones – Dior used them often, and Azzedine incorporated nude underlayers in his evening dresses, even in his packaging.

Of course, they moved in completely different directions. There are about 30 years between them, and society changed significantly during that time. But both created something new. Dior’s 1947 collection was revolutionary, and Azzedine also introduced many revolutions throughout his career – especially in shaping the image of a modern woman who is both beautiful and comfortable.

For me, it means they did not listen to others. They had their own point of view, which is very rare. They did not adapt their vision to please others – they followed their instinct.

They also lived very dedicated lives. You cannot become a great couturier without working constantly and committing yourself completely. They were not particularly social.

Yes. They wanted to make women beautiful. They did not want to make themselves the focus – the woman was always the focus. That is what I mean by integrity.

It is. Very rare.

Yes, things have changed a lot in the past ten years. It has become more difficult to have the time to fully dedicate yourself.

In the past, people like Dior or Balenciaga lived like artists. They devoted their lives entirely to their work. Azzedine, even in the 1980s, could have become very social – but he chose not to. He stayed in his studio, often working at night to perfect his patterns.

For them, it was not work. It was life. You wouldn’t say Picasso was “working” all the time – he was living. It’s the same.

We were friends for 40 years and never had a single conflict. We worked together, traveled together, and shared many moments of joy.

For the first 20 years, we were simply friends. Then, from around 1990 onwards, we began working together until he passed away. It was a very long and meaningful relationship. He was the most loyal person I have ever known.

He used to call me ma sœur – my sister. Whenever I arrived in Paris, he would tell his team, “My sister is coming.”

I think I am very curious, like Azzedine was. I am fascinated by creativity – especially when it is free and uncompromised.

It becomes something I want to share. If I can translate that into a book or contribute in some way, I do it. I deeply admire people who have pure creativity and who are willing to sacrifice for what they believe in. Everything else grows out of that admiration.

I want to share emotions – the emotions I feel when I encounter beauty or certain creative choices.

I don’t like to share my private life, but I do like to share emotions. I think I want to create a kind of community – people who share similar values and understand one another. It’s a form of communication.

A lot of it is instinct. But also flexibility.

Sometimes you plan something, and then something else appears. You have to stay open. Every day can bring something new.

Azzedine used to say that he woke up every morning asking himself what he was going to learn that day.

Yes, it truly is.

(laughs) I leave that to my daughter.

Yes, but it is a long process.

I have always tried to find peace in my choices – in my work and in my private life. I never wanted to rush or be driven by anxiety. I wanted to truly believe in what I was doing.

When I was 29, I had a serious car accident. For two years, I underwent many operations. That time allowed me to reflect on what truly mattered to me – and what I wanted from life. I wanted to be serene.

Life is not always easy, but I try to choose what I believe in, because that gives me peace of mind. There is always turbulence, but you have to find peace within it. It comes from your mind.