The Museo del Tessuto in Prato is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary with the exhibition 'Alaïa and Balenciaga. Sculptors of Form'. This exhibition will showcase the creative interplay between the two French designers.
Curated by Olivier Saillard, the exhibition will feature 50 garments from the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation, alongside original documents and videos from the Balenciaga archives in Paris. The exhibition is scheduled to run from October 25, 2025, to May 3, 2026.
Saillard has selected 25 creations by Azzedine Alaïa and an equal number of pieces by Cristóbal Balenciaga. The exhibition highlights the interconnectedness of their work, demonstrating how one designer's creations inspired the other.
For example, a look from Alaïa's autumn/winter 1986 couture collection draws inspiration from Balenciaga's 1938 haute couture jacket. The exhibition continues the museum's tradition of honoring fashion icons, following previous exhibitions dedicated to Gianfranco Ferré in 2014 and Walter Albini in 2024.