Azzedine Alaïa

Model

Tunisian born designer, Azzedine Alaïa, began his career as intern at famed fashion house Dior. His stay there lasted a mere five days, but he quickly found an apprenticing opportunity at Guy Laroche. By the time he set out on his own two seasons later, Alaia had already racked up an impressive celebrity clientele, including Greta Garbo and Claudette Colbert. Before his foray into fashion, Alaïa studied sculpture in his native Tunis. It's no wonder then that he doesn't consider himself a designer, but a "builder" of silhouettes- with plenty of structural and textural elements. Alaia is known as being fearless when it comes to experimentation and setting his own trends.