French designer Manfred Thierry Mugler, known for the powerful-shouldered, cinched-waisted silhouettes that ruled fashion in the 1980s, died on Sunday at the age of 73 of “natural causes,” according to his agent.
A former ballet dancer, Mugler’s bold collections, presented in highly stylized themed shows, were at the forefront of the decadent, structured style that came to be known as “power wear.”
“He was timeless and ahead of his time,” supermodel Jerry Hall, the face of his best-selling Angel perfume, said of the designer in 2019. “He knew all about gender fluidity and his clothes reflected the warmth and sexuality of the world. deceased. ’70s and early ’80s.” she told the new york times.
Although Mugler retired from the brand that bore his name in 2002, he did not stop making clothes. He was responsible for Beyonce’s sci-fi-inflected Sasha Fierce look in the late 2000s. He also created wardrobes for Lady Gaga and Cardi B. In 2019, he created Kim Kardashian’s Met Gala look, a latex-covered gown. of crystals
“We are devastated to announce the passing of Mr. Manfred Thierry Mugler on Sunday, January 23, 2022,” read a post on the designer’s official Facebook account.
Born in Strasbourg in December 1948, he came to Paris at the age of 20 and created his own brand “Café de Paris” in 1973, a year before founding Thierry Mugler.
The LGBTQ community was a frequent source of talent and inspiration for the designer. Mugler has cast trans models for his shows since the 1980s and frequently collaborated with drag performers and club kids on and off the runway, including corset maker Mr. Pearl.
In the late 1990s, Mugler’s name became associated more with fragrance than fashion, thanks to his successful Angel perfume. The rights to its name were acquired by cosmetics giant Clarins in 1997, and that fragrance and its derivatives remain best sellers.
In 2002, Mugler’s fashion division closed, but the brand was revived in 2010 under the creative direction of stylist Nicola Formichetti, and later Casey Cadwallader.
Mugler’s use of corsetry and his exaggerated approach to the female body have drawn criticism, but the designer was no less extreme with his own physique. In 2019, the normally lonely designer posed for a nude photo shoot with Interview magazine, and talked about his exhaustive bodybuilding routine and cosmetic surgeries. “I think it’s important for people to be a complete realization of themselves. I have always been fascinated by the human body and wanted to pay tribute to what it can do,” he said.
In 2019, the designer was the subject of a major retrospective exhibition, Thierry Mugler: Couturissime, which debuted in Montreal, before traveling to Paris in 2021.
The designer was due to announce new collaborations earlier this week, his agent Jean-Baptiste Rougeot told AFP.
www.theguardian.com
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism