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Cardi B, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, David Bowie – how 4 musicians fell in love with designer Thierry Mugler’s creations
As the Thierry Mugler: Couturissime exhibition makes its first stop in Europe, at the Kunsthal Rotterdam, STYLE celebrates four trendsetting musical icons who brought the French designer’s fashions to the world
What do Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Cardi B and David Bowie have in common?
The Netherlands’ Kunsthal Rotterdam museum pays homage to one of fashion's most innovative designers with the ongoing “Thierry Mugler: Couturissime” exhibition. Following its success at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, in Canada, the exhibition has made its first stop in Europe.
Running until March 8, it showcases an extensive curation of Mugler’s archive, themed and iconic costumes, photography and prêt-à-porter; a Mugler universe documenting the many roles he played over his 50 years of creation in the industry. A visionary, couturier, director, photographer and perfumer, Mugler’s versatility and rebellious resonate to many on multiple levels.
From the early days, he invited Hollywood guest stars onto his catwalks, while an assortment of A-list supermodels and star performers wore his designs. “I always felt fashion wasn’t sufficient in itself, and that it had to be shown in a musical and theatrical setting,” the designer once said.
Among the many big names, here are four A-list celebrities who chose to don Mugler’s designs for significant moments – thrusting his work under the spotlight and into the public imagination.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga dug out a dress from Thierry Mugler’s autumn/winter 1995-1996 collection for the video to 2010 single Telephone – instantly rehabilitating the designer’s career in the public eye.
Known for her theatrical costumes and dramatic performances, it comes as no surprise that in 2010, Lady Gaga dug into Mugler’s archive and wore a design from his autumn/winter 1995-1996 ready-to-wear collection, in her music video for the smash song Telephone (featuring none other than fellow fan Beyoncé). On many levels, Lady Gaga’s approach resonates with Mugler – the love of stage, the alter-ego during performance, the extravagance and the constant pushing of boundaries.
Beyoncé
Beyoncé’s I Am … world tour of 2009-10 was a masterpiece of Mugler. Not only did he design the stage costumes for Queen Bey, he also directed several of the numbers in the show, played a part in its choreography and artistic direction, and in the shooting of the concert videos.
Fashion designer Thierry Mugler designed and created the costumes for George Michael’s Too Funky video, as worn by Swedish model Emma Sjöberg (now Emma Wiklund).
One of the costumes Beyoncé wore, the Harley-Davidson corset, was first worn in the George Michael music video for Too Funky in 1990. Beyoncé’s world tour brought Mugler’s creations and visions back into the fashion, commercial and music stages once again on a very big scale.
David Bowie
One cannot neglect to mention David Bowie when talking about Mugler – just as Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy, the two are inseparable. The power duo pushed the fashion boundaries of the late 70s. Both visionaries have a performance state of mind, which changed the shape of fashion forever.
Wearing a Mugler dress during his nationally televised performance with Klaus Nomi and Joey Arias, on America’s Saturday Night Live in 1979, was the defining moment of gender-bending shock. By not conforming to the social norm, Bowie was established as the best ambassador of Mugler designs, and went on to wear so many more in his videos, public appearances, on the red carpet and even at his wedding to Somali model Iman in 1992.
Cardi B
Cardi B arrives at the 61st annual Grammy Awards, in 2019 – wearing Mugler’s oyster shell-inspired Venus crinoline sheath gown, which dated from 1995. Photo: Invision/AP
The first female rapper to win at the Grammys, Cardi B, made a theatrical red carpet entrance this year, appearing like a human pearl in an oyster shell dress – a vintage archive piece of the couturier that has not been worn since 1995. Modelled by Mugler muse Simonetta Gianfelice in that year’s collection, the Venus crinoline sheath gown was all about pushing limits and projecting fearlessness – which speaks very much for Mugler’s creations, and is a perfect fit for Cardi B.
A peacock dress with Swarovski crystal designed by Thierry Mugler.
Mugler was the first designer to present a spectacular theatrical fashion opera to more than 6,000 people in Paris. His profound understanding and knowledge of the stage as a performer allowed him to design costumes that work seamlessly with both movement, and in moments of stillness.