He was one of the most extravagant and inventive designers in the fashion world. Died Sunday at the age of 73, Manfred T. Mugler (he called himself that since 2002), left behind him a career of more than forty years and a multitude of creations, each crazier than the next. Fanciful women made of feathers and scales, bodied dresses fashioned of steel and rubber, Madonna of gold and rhinestones, bustiers on motorcycle handlebars… Mugler has never ceased to question and re-enchant the boundaries of haute couture. and entertainment (a very fine exhibition on his work is also being held at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris until April 24).
He has dressed the biggest pop stars, Madonna, Lady Gaga or even Beyoncé, but has also enveloped millions of women and men with his gourmet and sweet fragrance. Angel. Perfume, eighties silhouettes, phantasmagorical costumes… 20 minutes invites you to (re)discover five iconic creations by Thierry Mugler.
The star of perfumes
It is one of the most popular and, above all, the most accessible creations of the couturier. Released in 1992, Angel and its sweet notes of praline, chocolate or even red fruits (a fragrance inspired by his childhood) revolutionized the perfumery sector and launched the great trend of “gourmet” perfumes. It met with phenomenal success as soon as it was released and climbed into the top 3 of the best-selling perfumes around the world, with Chanel No. 5 and I love by Dior. Angel is also a technical challenge that took several years to design its star-shaped bottle, recognizable among all. “Perfume, in my opinion, is one of the tools at our disposal to bring magic into people’s daily lives,” explained Manfred T. Mugler.
to Thierry-Maxime Loriot, curator of the exhibition Thierry Mugler-Couturissime. It completes the universe of a person, the aura somewhere, it’s the final touch. »
chimerical creatures
Mugler’s creations lurked on the borders of haute couture, theater and fantasy tales. Over the course of his many collections, the couturier has given life to many hybrid creatures, butterfly, aquatic or reptilian women, wearing finery adorned with rhinestones, feathers and hair. Among his masterpieces: his “Chimera”. It is a sheath dress made of hand-painted scales and a long train of horsehair, the design of which required two years of work. Difficult to remain unmoved in front of this appearance as sublime as it is impressive.
The eighties suit
In addition to his taste for the whimsical and the supernatural, Thierry Mugler also stood out in his work with his silhouettes. Curves with marked hips and disproportionate shoulders inseparable from the 1980s, which he declined almost obsessively. He thus imagined a myriad of suits and corsets throughout his career, deploying them in universes as varied as the automotive world, science fiction or the universe of insects.
“Too Funky”
In 1992, a clip of George Michael marked the spirits notably: too funky. A video designed and produced by the couturier, in which Mugler highlights behind the scenes of a fashion show. As the minutes pass, all the star models of the time follow one another, such as Linda Evangelista, Tyra Banks and Estelle Lefébure. Completely crazy, the clip also contains a creation that does not go unnoticed: a bustier inspired by a motorcycle handlebar. A timeless model (and importable in real life) that will seduce Beyoncé seventeen years later for a tour in 2009 where all the costumes will be designed by the designer.
A dripping Kim K.
Queen B, Madonna, Diana Ross, Mylène Farmer, Lady Gaga… All these stars have in common to have worn on stage, on a podium or on a red carpet, a creation by Thierry Mugler. This is also the case of Kim Kardashian who caused a sensation in 2019, during the Met Gala, with a breathtaking trompe-l’oeil dress.
The model seems to be sewn directly on it and produces a dripping and wet effect: a work of goldsmith and a hypnotic result. The other side of the coin? The beautiful is not necessarily the most comfortable. “I have never had so much pain in my life, confided Kim K after the event. I should show you pictures of the marks it left on my back and stomach. »
“Thierry Mugler-Couturissime”: A spectacular exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts