“Communion”:  UNI FORM  x  Azzedine Alaïa Foundation and Orveda

A Partnership of Purpose and Love

Guided by their shared commitment to supporting art and creativity, Orveda and the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation aim to champion the fashion talents of tomorrow. Luke Radloff, the inaugural winner, epitomizes the new generation of African fashion talent, challenging conventions and championing the values of craftsmanship.

Luke Radloff has been selected by a jury comprising Carla Sozzani (President of the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation), Olivier Saillard (Director of the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation), Marco Pecorari (Director of the Parsons School in Paris), Sara Sozzani Maino (Brand Ambassador of National Chamber of Italian Fashion and Condé Nast CNCC Creative Advisor) and Nicolas Vu (CEO & Co-Founder of Orveda).

Last November, Luke Radloff followed a residency program with a guided visit to the exhibition ALAIA/GRES and an immersion as a first approach within the Foundation’s archives, both historical and  of Mr Alaïa, alongside the guidance of a mentor from the Parsons School in Paris.

Upon completing his residency program, Luke designed an exclusive capsule collection, to be showcased at the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation before making its way to Orveda Maisons worldwide.

“Communion” By Luke Radloff

Guided by their shared commitment to supporting art and creativity, Orveda and the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation aim to champion emerging creative talents of all forms within the fashion industry, Luke Radloff, the inaugural winner, epitomises the new generation of African fashion talent, challenging conventions and championing the values of craftsmanship.

Born and raised in South Africa, Luke Radloff studied fashion design and immersed himself in the local industry before launching UNI FORM By Luke Radloff in 2019.

His collection seeks to establish a deeper, more meaningful connection between the garment and wearer, emphasising slow fashion manufacturing, handmade items, collaboration and ethical practices.

Luke Radloff’s collection is a tribute to indigenous South African craft, weaving traditional couture values through the unique lense of UNI FORM. It features handwoven cottons from the South African desert, knitted indigenous mohairs and wools, forged metallic accessories and beaded accents.  The collection aims to create a new kind of glamour, embracing organic silhouettes and natural textures, with each element of the process reflected in the final garments.  Radloff envisions the collection as a moment of cross-cultural exchange, inviting South African artists and global fashion tastemakers into an emotional dialogue of cultural exchange and the healing of art.

During his residency program, young designer Luke Radloff had the opportunity to dive into segments of the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation’s history of Fashion Collection.

For several weeks, he studied the philosophy of this collection of the Foundation, and he immersed himself in the master’s universe to, in turn, give birth to a collection of modern and streamlined silhouettes.  From Azzedine Alaïa’s native North Africa Tunisia to Luke Radloff’s rejuvenated South Africa, African craftmanship is as the core.

Exhibition: 2 March to 5 March 2024

From March the 2^nd to March the 5^th, Luke’s capsule collection is being exhibited in a public opened exhibition at La Fondation Azzedine Alaïa during Paris Fashion Week.

Fondation Azzedine Alaïa
18, rue de la Verrerie
75004 Paris

Azedine Alaïa Foundation

Since 2020 recognized of Public utility by the French Government, the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation is dedicated to preserving and showcasing Alaïa’s work and the works of the many Masters of Fashion he collected during all his life , presenting exhibitions in the fields of Art, Fashion, and Design. supporting cultural and educational activities, giving bourses to the next generation of creatives.

fondationazzedinealaia.org/