In a move that surprised and delighted the fashion world, reclusive designer Azzedine Alaia returned to the runway for the first time in eight years for Paris Haute Couture Week. Alaia shies away from media attention, rarely grants interviews and only holds runway shows when he has something to show, rather than going the traditional route of showing two collections every year.
This season, Azzedine Alaia treated the fashion world to a Couture collection in Paris. Full, bell-shaped skirts, texture, and crocodile-inspired leather were prominent in the show. From snakeskin to velvet to wool, Alaia is never one to shy away from different textures that are normally considered clashing.
Alaia's full skirts carried on into the evening-wear portion of the show, which featured floor-length skirts adorned in pleats and layers.
Triumphant Designer Returns
Azzedine Alaia Fall 2011 Couture Marked the First Show in Eight Years
Trend Themes
1. Reclusive Designers - There is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in providing platforms or events for reclusive designers to showcase their work.
2. Texture Mixing - There is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating new fabric technologies or techniques that allow for seamless mixing of different textures.
3. Non-traditional Runway Shows - There is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in reimagining the traditional runway show format to allow designers more flexibility and creative freedom.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion - There is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the fashion industry to cater to the needs and preferences of reclusive designers.
2. Fabric Technology - There is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the fabric technology industry to develop new materials or techniques for seamless texture mixing.
3. Event Planning - There is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the event planning industry to create new formats and experiences for fashion shows that go beyond the traditional runway.