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Sunday, January 23rd, 2022 marked a sad day for many with the passing of designer, Manfred Thierry Mugler. The French visionary, famous for his ’80s power dressing and otherworldly designs, died at age 73 and celebrities from across many industries have paid tribute to his life’s work and extraordinary character. Mugler, often referred to as “enfant terrible” or “man of the future”, had a penchant for showmanship and used PVC, latex and fur to construct fantastical and erotic designs that have pushed boundaries and radically fused fashion and pop culture. He’s dressed pop icons like David Bowie, Rhianna, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga and even dominated the fragrance market with his signature scents ‘Angel’ and ‘Alien’. In tribute to Mugler’s impact on fashion, let’s delve into the archive of the designer’s most iconic looks and discover how he went from dancer to fashion superstar.
From Performer to Designer
Mugler’s journey to fashion stardom began in 1948 in Strasbourg, France. Growing up a performer, he took up ballet at age 9 and joined the National Rhine Opera at age 14. Mugler had always viewed the body as art and his performance background as a dancer, acrobat and fashion model helped to inspire his avant-garde silhouettes.
“I have always been fascinated by the most beautiful animal on the Earth: the human being.” – Thierry Mugler, Dazed
After formally studying interior design at The Strasbourg School of Decorative Arts, Mugler created his first collection in 1973 named ‘Café de Paris’ that gave his own youthful twist on the popular wide-shouldered clothing. Then in 1978, Mugler opened his first boutique in Paris and worked hard to develop this business into his own fashion empire with the support of a cohort of celebrities including Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, George Michael and RuPaul.
By the ‘90s, Mugler was selling worldwide and creating haute couture collections on request from France’s Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. Mugler drew inspiration from 1940’s and ‘50s glamour creating architectural gowns with broad shoulders and narrow waists but he still applied his own theatrical flair through the use of plastic, futuristic-looking fabrics.
In 2002, Mugler retired from his eponymous brand, designing one-off pieces for his celebrity clients such as Lady Gaga and Beyoncé for their music tours but came back to the brand as creative adviser in 2013, debuting an impressive collection of looks that have graced met galas and award ceremonies.
With the longstanding success of the Thierry Mugler brand, let’s address some of Mugler’s most memorable fashion moments…
Fusing Fetishism with Fashion
Mugler is known for creating looks that ooze femininity and sex appeal. The Venus dress from his Spring/Summer 1995 collection, in particular, presents divine, feminine glamour. Mugler’s design draws inspiration from Botticelli’s famous Renaissance painting, ‘The Birth of Venus’ and masterfully interprets the shell opening to reveal Venus in pink satin ruffles and pearls. This look was worn again by Cardi B as an ode to Mugler’s archival looks for the 2019 Grammy’s where she was the first woman to win the award for Best Rap Album.
Another worthy mention for this category is Kim Kardashian’s 2019 Met Gala look, ‘The Wet Dress’. Kim K stunned in this gown that was literally dripping in sensuality. The tightly synched in waist is a quintessential feature of Mugler’s famous designs and perfectly accentuated Kim’s hourglass figure.
Hybridity
Mugler liked to push fashion boundaries by creating daring and futuristic looks. The Spring/ Summer 1995 collection transported fashion to another planet with his latex cyborg models. Mugler took to the Cirque d’Hiver to celebrate his 20th anniversary on the catwalk, that was accompanied by memorable performances from James Brown. And from this collection, the robotic woman was a particular highlight that has since been recreated by Cara Delevingne in her sheer, futuristic top for the GQ photoshoot in 2017.
Likewise, Mugler took inspiration from mechanics in constructing his Spring/ Summer 1992 collection. The motorcycle corset was an innovative collaboration with corset maker, Mr Pearl to create every biker girl’s dream. Beyoncé herself wore the motorcycle corset for her 2009 ‘I am… World’ tour.
If you need further proof of Mugler’s eccentric vision then look no further than his Autumn/ Winter 1997 collection to see his theatrical flair at its most outrageous. The subversive designs offer beastly yet feminine looks complete with feathers, scales and serpentine contacts.
Merging Fashion and Music
Mugler transformed the couture scene by including film inserts and amplification equipment borrowed from stadium rock concerts to make his shows even more entertaining. This fuelled Mugler’s popularity and his 1984 spectacle at Paris’ Zenith arena attracted 6,000 Parisians.
As well as being a larger than life character on the catwalk, Mugler had just as much success off the runway working as art director and costumer designer for George Michael’s ‘Too Funky’ music video which showcased decadence on the runway and Mugler’s wild design flare.
Mugler and Bowie were another dynamic duo that bridged the gap between music and fashion and pushed the limits of queer self-expression with Bowie sporting Mugler gowns for his SNL performance in 1979 and for ‘Boys Keep Swinging’ music video.
The Thierry Mugler Exhibition
In 2019, the MMFA hosted the first-ever exhibit dedicated to Thierry Mugler’s fashion legacy. The aptly named, Creatures of Haute Couture exhibition displayed over 130 of Mugler’s most experimental designs from 1973 to 2001. From dream-like, dystopian costumes and robot hybrids to avant-garde silhouettes, the exhibition shows how forward-thinking and innovative Mugler’s designs were. “This creator knows how to distinguish himself through constant innovation and audacious silhouettes that have marked an era, and found a place in the history of fashion. His singular style (is) a kind of futurist version of ‘New Look’with a touch of fantasy and fetishism,” observed Thierry-Maxime Loriot of Mugler’s new exhibition.
Mugler’s collections did come with controversial responses because of their hyper-feminine, sexualised view on the female form. Nevertheless, the designer will always be known for his visionary view on fashion that aimed to celebrate femininity through his theatrical designs.
As well as his innovative creations, we will remember Thierry Mugler for how he championed diversity on the runway showcasing models of different races and ages and promoting gender inclusivity with dressing transgender models such as Dominique Jackson and Hunter Schafer.
“Mr. Mugler was not only a designer who believed in me but also in my womankind…. the black model,” she wrote. “He was not only an ally for me in front of the crowd but also behind my back & ours — A true friend!” – Iman Abdulmajid, PEOPLE.com
Mugler created his own fashion world, where a woman in Mugler became a femme fatale warrior in glamorous armour. For the viewer of his electric catwalks, fashion became an all-encompassing experience. For the wearer, fashion was beauty, power and sexual liberation. In the words of Olivier Gabet, “he made feminism sexy and powerful”.
Cover Image: Instagram / Thierry Mugler
May Garland 