Thierry Mugler
Muscular Designer
Style Icons (Male) category pick for the week of 8/25/08
Thierry Mugler is a big, beefy, insect-like German whose clothes are perhaps as equally inspired by bugs as his major physique. Also drawing from the 1940s, science fiction, fetishism, and pop art, his designs were tough, dramatic, other-worldly, and extreme. I say “were” because sadly, his radical work wasn't really accepted after the roaring 80's and now he mostly produces beauty products like perfume.
His clothing has not gone completely without a home, in 2003 he designed costumes for (appropriately) Cirque du Soleil’s first adults-only show, Zumanity. You’ll be pleased to learn that he hasn’t lost his touch: the stage was teeming with men in butt-less leather pants and stone washed jeans (no kidding!), and women in various teeny-tiny outfits made of beads, fringe and see-through nylon. It’s the perfect venue for his over the top fun tackiness.
Of course, I think we all remember his work from George Michael's Too Funky video (see this week’s song) where all the day’s most spectacular models and odd lovelies walked the runway in his outrageous creations, most famously Rebecca Romijn in the motorcycle corset.
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