When Myriam Serrano stepped into the role of CEO of Alaïa in September 2019, the Maison was standing at a crossroads. Less than two years earlier, on November 18, 2017, Azzedine Alaïa had passed away, leaving behind not just one of fashion’s most singular legacies, but also a house defined as much by instinct, intimacy and obsession as by structure.

The founder was famous for following the beat of his own drum. Presenting fashion shows whenever it suited him, often not during a classic fashion week. He would work hands on, and around the clock, on his designs. And, in the end, created clothing that was so sculptural and meticulously precise that he built up a cult-like following of some of the world’s most beautiful – and strongly independent women–  like Naomi Campbell, Farida Khelfa, Grace Jones, Michelle Obama, Tina Turner, and Grace Jones.

But for Serrano, the challenge was never about reinvention for reinvention’s sake. “Alaïa is not a brand that needs to be reinvented, it needs to be respected, protected and allowed to evolve naturally,” she says during a recent trip to Dubai. From the outset, her focus has been on continuity rather than disruption, on ensuring that the codes established by the founder remain intact while the business itself continues to be strengthened for the future. “We never wanted to rush anything. Alaïa has its own rhythm, its own pace, and that’s something we’ve always been very careful to preserve,” Serrano explains.

It’s an important distinction, and an intentional choice that matters on a profound level, particularly in the current luxury goods climate which has seen a sharp downturn over the past few years. Growth, in Serrano’s view, has to always feel organic and never imposed. “We had to put the right foundations in place, but always with humility toward what the house already was,” she reflects.

Before Alaïa, Serrano built a career defined by operational rigour and strategic clarity. After graduating from the highly regarded HEC business school, and studying at the French Fashion Institute (IFM), the CEO kicked off her career at Céline working on accessoires, before joining the Richemont group in 2006 as the accessories collection director at Chloé where – after a stint at Nina Ricci – she would return to take up an interesting hybrid role of communication and accessories director, giving her a decidedly unique perspective on brand building.

The skills she learned during her time at each of those French fashion houses have shaped Serrano into a leader that is notably sensitive and introspective. When she speaks, it’s with a quiet, unhurried cadence, and she radiates a sense of relaxed ease, that is somehow typically in keeping with the classic French nonchalance style, but also unusual for the CEO of a world famous fashion label. “This is a house that was built on intuition, on the eye, on the hand. My role is to create a structure that could support that without suffocating it,” she says about how she approaches her job at Alaïa.

Helming a brand with the stature of Alaïa, for Serrano, is less about authority than attentiveness. “Leadership is about listening – listening to the teams, listening to the product, listening to the house itself,” she reflects. As a female leader navigating a legacy Parisian fashion house, she is acutely aware of the responsibility that comes with stewardship. “Being a woman in this role brings a certain sensitivity, but also a certain responsibility,” she adds. “I want the women who work here to feel that they have a voice, that they are part of something meaningful.”

A defining moment in Alaïa’s new chapter came in February 2021 with the appointment of Pieter Mulier as creative director. The decision was deliberate and innate. “We were not looking for someone to rewrite Alaïa. We were looking for someone who understood it instinctively,” Serrano says about the process of looking for a new designer for the house. That understanding, she explains, is rooted in the body. “Pieter has an extraordinary sensitivity to movement, to sensuality, to the relationship between clothing and the woman wearing it, all the things that are at the core of Alaïa.”

The strong working relationship between Serrano and Mulier, who was named International Designer of the Year at the most recent CFDA Awards, has been built on a foundation of trust and clarity. “My role is to give Pieter the space and the support he needs. His role is to create. When that balance is right, everything flows,” Serrano notes. Creativity, she believes, can’t be managed through pressure. “You cannot create under fear. You need confidence, time and trust.”

Since her arrival Alaïa’s evolution has been steady rather than spectacular – even as it has become the darling of a new generation of fashion insiders. And that slow burn has been a decidedly intentional one on the part of the CEO. “We are not chasing growth for growth’s sake. Everything we do has to make sense for the house,” she affirms. That philosophy extends across product, communication and retail. “Alaïa boutiques are not just points of sale. They are places where the woman can feel the intimacy of the house,” Serrano explains.

Case in point, the opening of Alaïa’s new boutique at The Avenues in Kuwait. It marks a significant step in the ramping up of the Maison’s current global expansion plans as well as its deepening relationship with the Middle East. “There is a real appreciation here for craftsmanship, for the hand, for pieces that are strong and feminine at the same time,” says the CEO as she sips her coffee. Each retail space is approached as a conversation rather than a template. “We always adapt our boutiques with great care, respecting both the identity of Alaïa and the culture of the place.”

At the epicentre of Serrano’s vision is a clear understanding of what Alaïa represents to women. “Azzedine always designed for women he knew, women he admired, women he wanted to make feel powerful,” she says. That philosophy remains intact. “Alaïa is not about dressing an image. It’s about dressing a woman’s life.”

Internally, Serrano has focused on constructing solid teams and a sense of continuity as much as collections. “We have built very strong teams, and there is a real sense of collective commitment,” she states. The house, Serrano believes, functions best when it feels human. “This is not about individual ego. It’s about a shared purpose.”

To this day the presence of Azzedine Alaïa remains central to what the house does. “He is still very much here. His spirit guides everything,” the CEO shares. At the same time, she is clear that preservation shouldn’t lead to stagnation. “Respecting a legacy does not mean freezing it in time.” Instead, it means understanding it deeply enough to allow it to move forward. “We are writing a new chapter, but the story remains the same,” she adds.

As for the future of Alaïa, Serrano’s ambitions remain measured but resolute. “I want the company to remain a house that is rare, that is desirable, that is deeply respected,” she reflects. Not louder, not faster, simply stronger and rooted in creativity and purpose. “Time is a luxury, and Alaïa has always understood that,” she states with conviction.

After a tête-à-tête with Serrano, what comes to the foreground is how quietly assured her approach feels. The work, and evolution of the brand, will unfold at its own pace, guided by instinct, structure and respect. Respect for the house, for the women it dresses, and for the legacy it continues to carry forward.

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Images: Supplied & Feature Image: Supplied