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By Clare ThorpFeatures Correspondent
fake imagesZendaya wore Thierry Mugler’s robot suit at the Dune: Part Two premiere in London; From Grace Jones to Lady Gaga, the French designer has created outrageous outfits for the world’s most glamorous figures.
There was a distinctly futuristic vibe on the red carpet for the Dune: Part Two premiere in London this week. Timothée Chalamet wore metallic pants, Florence Pugh wore a black sequin hooded dress by Valentino. But no one understood the task better than Zendaya, who appeared in a silver cyborg suit proving that, when it comes to fashion, she is not in another league, but in another world.
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Zendaya’s stylist Law Roach sourced the jumpsuit from French fashion designer Thierry Mugler’s 1995 couture collection. The robot suit was originally created with artist Jean-Jacques Urcun and inspired by the character Futura from the 1925 novel Metropolis. Constructed of chrome and with plexiglass cutouts, it took six months to manufacture. The futuristic look was the perfect choice to launch a sci-fi movie, and if Zendaya was looking to create an iconic red carpet moment, then she chose wisely. Because if there is one designer whose creations are sure to attract attention, it is Thierry Mugler.
gettyMugler, who died in 2022 at age 73, was known for his love of spectacle. When Zendaya’s bodysuit was first seen on the runway in the mid-90s, it was as part of a special show held at the Cirque d’Hiver in Paris to commemorate 20 years of the Thierry Mugler brand. The show, called “the Woodstock of fashion”, featured actress Tippi Hedren in a dress covered in black birds (a nod to her most famous role), along with many of the era’s biggest supermodels, musical guests, drag queens, and porn stars. It was a spectacle that was both ridiculous and exaggerated, and also totally typical of Thierry Mugler.
Mugler first came to prominence as a designer in the 1970s and quickly became known for his theatrical designs. Mugler, who wanted to be a dancer when he was young, was inspired by superheroes, goddesses, cabaret stars and cartoon characters. He loved feathers, sequins and crystals, and he was known for the architectural and sculptural designs of him. His signature silhouette was an inverted triangle, with large, structured shoulders and a well-cinched waist.
He quickly established himself as the go-to designer for celebrities who wanted attention. It’s no surprise that Grace Jones was one of his first fans. In 1979, David Bowie wore a pink Mugler dress in the video for Boys Keep Swinging.
In the 80s, his shows became legendary. In 1984 she organized the first commercial fashion show, selling 6,000 tickets to her show at the Zénith stadium in Paris. For the finale, model Pat Cleveland (who was then six months pregnant) descended from heaven like a Virgin in a sheer chiffon dress. In 1985, she sent models down the runway with gold plates covering her nipples (and, at one point, she gave Iman a live monkey to perch on her shoulder).
More than fabulous
In the 1990s, his thirst for extravagance only increased, even as many other designers were adopting a more minimalist look and the grunge aesthetic was everywhere. “I don’t believe in natural fashion,” she says. said The New York Times.
fake imagesIn 1990 he sent models like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell down the runway in bondage-inspired outfits, complete with whips. In 1991, the costumes were cartoonish: Christy Turlington wore a dress made of huge fur balls. In her fall 1997 couture collection, model Adriana Karembeu walked the runway in a corseted dress covered in scales made of horse hair, feathers, and Swarovski crystals, looking like a couture fish. That same year, Jerry Hall, a lifelong muse, walked the runway dressed as an exceptionally glamorous peacock.
Mugler’s costume designs meant he was (and remains) particularly loved in the music world, with Madonna, Celine Dion and Diana Ross wearing his creations on stage. Mugler provided the clothing for George Michael’s 1992 video for Too Funky, including a motorcycle inspired bustier from his spring/summer 1992 show.
Beyoncé also wore a Mugler motorcycle bustier on the cover of her 2009 album I Am… Sasha Fierce, and wore her designs on stage for years. On last year’s Renaissance tour, she wore a custom Mugler cyborg suit inspired by her original design. Now that she’s entering her country era, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see her opt for her bright red cowgirl outfit from the Spring Summer 1992 show. Lady Gaga is also a long-time Mugler fan and frequently wears vintage pieces in both her videos and on the red carpet.
fake imagesAt the 2019 Grammys, Cardi B wore a pastel pink 1995 Mugler creation (her “Birth of Venus” dress) that gave the impression that she was a human pearl inside an oyster shell. That same year, Kim Kardashian wore a custom Mugler dress to the Met Gala. The beaded latex dress, which looked like water dripping off her body, took eight months to make and was the first creation that Thierry Mugler made for the house that bears his name in 20 years.
Now that Mugler is no longer with us, stars can now delve into his archive to create incredible fashion moments. And with Zendaya setting the bar extremely high, we can expect more to come.
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