Azzedine Alaïa was never, ever going to be an easy act to follow, but with an elite audience perched on wooden folding chairs on the street outside the house’s historic headquarters willing him on – Pieter Mulier unveiled a striking and sculptural debut collection, winning himself a well-deserved standing ovation.
Mulier was highly respectful of the brand’s DNA throughout, without however following it to slavishly. He played with multiple Alaïa references – stretch crepe; perforated leather; sculpted cocktails; Amazonia leggings or Venetian blind columns but gave them all his own twist.
His body-con stretched cocktails finished with matching skull caps were all pretty sensational; while his stretch wool flamenco dresses finished below the knee with feathers were brilliant.
Alaïa never designed for a shrinking violet or hot-house flower, and neither does Mulier. Like Azzedine, Mulier’s cast marched like empowered heroines. From the quartet of beauties who smoldered down the street in body-caressing semi-sheer columns; to the artfully constructed waistcoats that finished in cowls, Grace-Jones style; to the racy denim jumpsuit with shawl collar; to the great screen-goddess feathered coats.
