Alexander Fury @alexanderfury - Tumblr Blog

Azzedine Alaïa was the great couturier. He wasn’t the last – Azzedine was first, not last, in everything. And his wasn’t an old-fashioned or newfangled way of working. It was simply his way, and his alone. Alaïa was both the first, and the last. Alaïa was Alaïa. He was incomparable.

A Tribute to Azzedine Alaïa, AnOther magazine

It was the soundtrack that made the first impression at this one, oscillating between the prelude of cinematic composer Bernard Herrmann’s Psycho suite (1960), to Gimme Some More by Busta Rhymes. At the time, the drastic shift from a string-heavy cinematic classic to late-90s hardcore hip-hop was much remarked upon. But perhaps it was intended not just to score but to underscore the collection. In a similar way to Rhymes’ sampling, Simons would take those mid-century couture shapes as the foundation for his own remixing of classic dressing. Or maybe he just liked the way it all sounded.

Show That Matter - Jil Sander Spring/Summer 2011, AnOther magazine

Loved the article on your Galliano archive! Mine is much smaller but well loved. I have a cape & skirt from an early JG collection but not sure which, wonder if you'd be able to ID it maybe? Hashtag cheeky request

Show me, I am pretty sure I can help.

Can you post a full pic of your FW95 Galliano jacket? Also, did you know that the FW94 show was so popular that he actually showed it again in New York?

Which one? I have three from winter 1995. And yes I did - in Bergdorf Goodman, I think? Interesting that that used to me the mark of commercial and critical success for many designers. McQueen re-showed Dante in a synagogue during winter 1996 New York Fashion Week (then staged after London).

John Galliano, spring/summer 1995, by Chris Moore. From ‘Catwalking’, published by Laurence King.

You think you'll ever have an expo about you life/fashion/career or maybe a visionary book in the future? our next DV

It’ll be more Capote ‘Answered Prayers’.

For the uninitiated...“‘La Côte Basque 1965,’ the first installment of Truman Capote’s planned roman à clef, Answered Prayers, dropped like a bomb on New York society when it appeared in *Esquire’*s November 1975 issue. Iced out by the friends he’d skewered—such of his “swans” as Slim Keith, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Babe Paley—Capote began his slide into an early grave.”

Do you think that they'll ever be an Alaïa memoir/documentary? god I hope

www.joesfilm.com

What's with Armani's models? Why are there never any trendy or popular models or any that you ever see in any other collections?

Armani told me he doesn’t want the focus to be on the models, rather on the clothes. Fair enough.

Do models at the Haute Couture Chanel shows just make one pass of the runway or multiple passes?

Depends on the layout.

What generally costs more, flou or tailleur? As in comparable modèles, an unembroidered dress next to an unembroidered suit?

Depends on hours in construction, amount of fabric used, etc etc. Flou could be a silk brocade ballgown, which would cost more than a wool suit, probably. But equally a bias-cut dress is technically complex and requires a great deal of material. So I doubt there is a general rule.

As a fabulous fact - some of the ruffled shawls in Galliano’s debut Givenchy haute couture collection cost more than the dresses they were made to accompany.

What question do you get asked the most?

On here? A lot of filth, honestly. And the best books to read.

Who is/was the most influential American designer of all time? I'm talking New York based, not someone like Tom Ford who spent his entire career overseas.

Charles James.

Hi Alex, kind of a stupid question - you probably still read a lot, but how do you manage to educate yourself, read books, read other reviews, do the stylings and everything else? Do you not need to sleep or eat? I know fashion is an industry for hard-workers but you can't escape human needs. I suppose you don't ever stop and do something like cooking though lol

My boyfriend is good at cooking. I’m lucky.

Is Marchesa the source of all evil?

This is an old message, but how prescient.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by how few real couture garments there are? What "couture" brands aren't couture?

I have shot Giambattista Valli ‘couture’ garments with factory manufacturer’s labels inside them.

Dear Alex, have you been to the Met Ball? Or are you going this year? If not, would it be an event you'd like to go to?

I’ve never been; I wouldn’t ever say I wouldn’t want to go. I’d like to avoid the red carpet though. And I would wear a corset.

You know, aside from the fact that Liz Tilberis was one of the greatest editors of all time, another reason I wish she was still around is it would be amazing to see what she'd do with the Met Ball nowadays. She didn't seem to be as interested in celebrity culture as other people.

She used to chair the Met - basically, it alternated each year (roughly) between her and Anna Wintour in the 1990s. Liz was the chair when Diana came wearing the first John for Dior couture dress. She also accompanied Diana on the red carpet.

And, in connection, I think the nineties were different times. Generally, fashion was less celebrity-obsessed. Possibly fashion was more niche as an interest at that point, also.

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