Pieter Mulier has some very large shoes to fill with the news that the designer is joining Alaïa as the iconic fashion house’s new creative director.
Following his last role as global creative director at Calvin Klein and famed position as Raf Simons right-hand man at Jil Sander and Dior, Mulier is the first predecessor of Azzedine Alaïa, who - t0 the devastation of the entire industry - passed away in 2017. The Belgian creative director’s debut is slated for the Spring Summer 2022 shows at Paris Fashion Week this September.
“It is my great pleasure to welcome Pieter into the Alaïa Maison." CEO Myriam Serrano said in a press release. "Pieter stands out with remarkable technical talent and devotion to the craft, a sharp eye for construction and a sense of timeless beauty that is deeply ingrained in the creative approach of our Maison,” she wrote.
“It is an absolute dream to join this prestigious Maison, its beautiful ateliers and its talented team,” Mulier wrote. “Always ahead of his time and open to all arts and cultures, Azzedine Alaïa’s powerful vision has served as an inspiration, as he always sought to give the necessary time to innovative and enduring creation,” he said, finishing with a promise to “carry forward his legacy of celebrating femininity and placing women at the heart of creation.”
Alaïa was a beloved figure in fashion. Renowned for his structured, exacting tailoring and form-fitting silhouettes, the Tunisian-born designer carved a niche for himself that was unwavering to trends and timelines. “Azzedine Alaïa made me want to do this job: his celebration of women’s bodies and the assurance he gave them have always inspired me,” said Anthony Vaccarello, among many other iconic designers, upon the announcement of his passing. “I was fortunate enough to meet him recently with Naomi [who famously called him 'papa']. I was touched by his kindness. I feel sad today, but privileged to have known him.”
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