A new Azzedine Alaïa London store opens this week

"I wore something three days ago that I wore 21 years ago... Not many designers can do that."

If there ever was a ringing endorsement for the artistry of a fashion designer: surely it's these words. They were spoken about couturier Azzedine Alaïa, whose first flagship store outside of Paris this week in New Bond Street, half a year after his untimely passing last November.The three-storey Maison will showcase couture by special appointment, limited-edition pieces and ready-to-wear.

A small caveat, though – we're quoting Naomi Campbell. She was interviewed about the designer for a short film by Joe McKenna released earlier this year. If anyone can still pull off a garment two decades later, it's a supermodel.

Azzedine Alaïa caused a stir in 1980 with his supermodel-strewn first show. He is famous for amazingly cut, sexy dresses, which once earned him the dubious-sounding accolade 'The King of Cling'. Victoria Beckham named him as her favourite designer and he has been the subject of multiple fashion exhibitions, including one that placed his gowns beside the paintings of Old Masters at the Villa Borghese, Rome. His talent was honed in the 1970s, when he designed stage costumes for the dancers at Crazy Horse, Paris's more risque version of the Moulin Rouge. His bandage-style dresses have been worn by everyone from Naomi Campbell to Grace Jones.

Still from Joe McKenna's film at https://www.joesfilm.com, a 25-minute documentary of Azzedine Alaïa

Born in Tunisia, Alaïa was inspired by the style of his twin sister. He lied about his age to study sculpture in Tunis and went on to produce his first ready-to-wear collection in 1980. His career took off a few short years after.

The New Bond Street store is a roomy 6,000 square feet and sits alongside Mayfair galleries and boutiques – just across the road from Sotheby's.