Alaia Paris vintage dress. Alaïa moulded his clothes to the female form, designing around the woman’s body. He sculpted his work to a Rodin level of craftsmanship (Alaïa himself trained as a sculptor), never losing shape of how his work would look on a woman – fit and flare shapes and nipped-in waists are key signatures. Drawing inspiration from the ancient Amazons, his work challenged pre-conceived notions of femininity. Far from the loose-fitting, soft shapes that went before him (think Diane Keaton in Annie Hall), the designer invented the body-con silhouette. His designs make women look and feel the best they can be; they tuck, grip and smooth to impressive effect. “No other dress can make a woman look and feel as good as an Alaïa dress because it cinches a woman’s body perfectly,” says Naomi Campbell, who has known the designer since she was 16.