For the maison Alaïa’s Summer Autumn 2022 collection, Belgian creative director Pieter Mulier paid homage to the Spanish master in an exercise of meta-appropriation stretching from 4th century BC to the 20th century, recontextualised in the realms of fashion. Six dresses in the collection are conceptualised with Picasso’s Tanagras as the design inspiration, produced in collaboration between the Picasso Administration and the Alaïa atelier. Reflecting the variety of the ceramic sculptures, the dresses range in simplicity and density yet are united in a silhouette that plays with a body-conscious form and concealed face enveloped by a turtleneck. Knitted in a complex jacquard technique, they capture the delicate textures and colours of the paintwork found on Picasso’s sculptures, thus establishing a dialogue through time and space with unlikely treasure troves of creativity entwined under Mulier’s watch.
Discover the limited-edition pieces at Gagosian Shop.
Read more about tanagras at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.