A SHORT STORY FOR A SHORT GARMENT
Short skirts have existed for a long time, though they were generally not called “mini” or recognized as a fashion trend until the 1960s. Instances of clothing resembling miniskirts have been identified by archaeologists and historians as far back as c. 1390–1370 BCE. The modern minidress’s hemline is generally at mid-thigh level, normally no longer than 10 centimeters below the buttocks.
While opinions differ on who invented the abbreviated garment, with Mary Quant, André Courrèges, John Bates and Jean Varon among the contenders, it was London-based designer Quant who was the driving force behind making it popular, having named it after her favorite type of car, the Mini Copper. Reportedly, when Mary Quant promoted the miniskirt in the 1960s, she did not only have the bright intuition that the time had come for change. She also exploited a tax advantage. In the UK, children’s clothes were exempt from purchase tax (that was before VAT) and the exemption was based on the length of the garment, not the age (or the size) of the person wearing it. The avoidance of tax meant that the price was correspondingly less.
In the early 21st century, miniskirts are still seen as controversial and remain subject to attempted or actual bans and regulation in various regions around the globe. In July 2010, for instance, the Southampton city council in the UK tried to regulate their female employees’ wardrobes, telling them to avoid miniskirts and dress “appropriately.”
TWO DESIGNERS CONVERSE
Born in Tunisia, Azzedine Alaïa (1940-2017) became recognized as the last Couturier, the only one to still master every stage of a garment’s design and fabrication. He moved to Paris in 1957 and after working for Christian Dior, Guy Laroche and Thierry Mugler, he opened his first atelier in his small apartment in the late 1970s.
Sometime after the closure of the Maison Balenciaga in Paris (1968), Mademoiselle Renée, who had spent a number of decades in Balenciaga’s service as Vice General Director became concerned about the remaining stocks of fabrics and dresses and she invited the young Azzedine Alaïa to come and choose freely from the master’s creations. Alaïa considered this encountered with Balenciaga to be his first awakening to the importance of fashion history. The continuous dialogue between the two great designers was reflected in the exhibition Sculptors of Shape presented at the Association Azzedine Alaïa in Paris (2020) and the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum in Getaria (2021).
Alaïa cultivated a deep respect for fashion history throughout his life and also became an avid collector, amassing hundreds of dresses and fashion items.
MICELLE BREAKS PROTOCOL
Michelle Obama wore an Azzedine Alaïa black ruffled sleeveless dress at the NATO dinner of heads of states and heads of governments in Baden-Baden, Germany on April 3rd 2009. During 2009-2017, Michelle Obama wore Alaïa on several occasions. Her choice of fashion by the Tunisian couturier broke the tradition of American First Ladies who had worn only the clothes of American designers to official events outside the US.
A TRIANGLE AGAINST EVIL
This sleeveless white jacquard mini dress designed by Alaïa is knitted with raffia fringes. The pattern of the fringes follows an archaic design seen in Hellenistic and roman mosaics but also in carpets (kilims) and even modern-day pavements in Turkey. This motif is part of a triangular design symbolizing the human eye protecting against evil.
