In the increasingly commercial world of fashion, few designers are able to remain true to their art while keeping an eye on the bottom line. Thierry Mugler is a rare exception to this strict fashion rule. The French designer rocked the runway during the 80's and 90's in Paris. His unique vision of the world and his Women demanded the attention of editors, buyers, and celebrities everywhere!
Everything he did pushed buttons. The proportions of his infamous silhouette gave women an hour glass figure regardless if they had one or not! To be snapped into one of his suit jackets was the modern equivilence of wearing a corset. The look was so extreme, he was labeled a misogynist by some!
His color palettes were also as strong as the shapes themselves. Deep purples, firecracker reds, striking yellows - they were all there. Through it all there was always this underlying sensuality or in actuality - an overt sexuality. Thierry was not shy about his personal interest in leather, bondage, and the fetish lifestyle. It was this sense of sexuality pulsing beneath the surface that fueled his image. His love of the nightlife was also as famous as his collections. Mugler was one of the trend setters who put South Beach on the map!
This sensual appeal of Thierry Mugler was also the key to his hugely successful fragrance - Angel. It quickly became known as the cotton candy - sexy scent. The only one of its kind to use patchouli and chocolate together. Over 15 years later, the scent is still a best seller worldwide. In fact, there are now about a dozen variations bearing the name Angel for men and women. While many French designers rely on the U.S. market for the bulk of their business, Mugler had already tapped into the middle eastern market years ago. In countries like Dubai where money flowith over... they love the pungent, intense scent that is unmistakably Angel. The bottle itself set it apart from any other scent. 
The out of this world stellar appearance of a purple comet perfectly matches this mystical scent.
I was lucky enough to have participated in many of Mugler's projects in the mid - 90's. I had just graduated from F.I.T. and through some good fortune -NYC coincidences I landed a job in the New York Showroom. I'll never forget the first time I went to the space ship in the sky that would become a second home to me. From the time the elevator opened on the 9th floor above the Paris movie theater, I was out of this world! You had the sensation you entered into an outer space mother ship. One that came from a place where women wore black vinyl leggings under short mini skirts and huge guitar pick shaped hats! Many of which were hand made by milliner Philip Tracy.
The space was a huge open showroom that had one central hallway down the back with offices in a row. The walls were off white venetian plaster and the carpeting throughout was sky blue - what many refer to as "Mugler" blue. Six huge white leather sofas flanked the the perimeter of the room. Small oval Herman Miller tables accompanied each. I instantly knew I was home!
My experience was magical from that very first day. With a very small U.S. office I worked on things that I would have never been given a chance at home base in Paris. We wardrobed a Lenny Kravitz video from start to finish. We produced the opening segment of the very first Vogue-VH-1 Fashion Music Awards. Live TV no less!! This entailed 20 models all in six inch stilettos winding down spiral stairs like ants. That night I was introduced to Madonna by Jean Paul Gaultier. Yes, Gaultier. It seems that Thierry and Jean Paul shared the same housekeeper and many times I would be giving messages from one to the other. Needless to say - my head never stopped spinning.
We dressed Jerry Hall, Iman, and Diana Ross to name a few Diva's. Although to be fair, Diana was always very polite and well mannered. I became phone buddies with Patty Hearst! She called almost daily to chat about everything from her fathers lawyers to her little girl Lydia who has grown into quite the little party hound! Women never said no to Thierry. He even convinced camera shy Hearst to not only walk the runway in Paris but to do a mock strip tease!
Then there was the fashion show that featured four go-go boys in studded g-strings. I was in charge of organizing the "talent" to get from L.A., N.Y. and parts unknown (or avoided) to Paris on time!!! Believe me this was no easy feat as many of these talented Hustlers, I mean dancers weren't exactly used to being on time - before 10pm that is!
The cast of characters reached beyond the grave! Sort of...there was infamous New York chanteuse - Joey Arias calling all the time and announcing himself as "Billie Holiday". This was his alter ego when performing his cabaret act. It was lost on me as I was 24 and fresh from a sleepy suburb. That was just a typical phone call at the house of Mugler. You never knew who would call or stop by or ring us up screaming! Joey Arias is now headlining the Cirque du Soleil show in Vegas aptly title Zoomanity. It's known as the "adult" Cirque show and the entire look of the show was designed by Mugler himself.
It was a wild time those 90's. I think about it now that the Fall collections saw all this homage to Thierry's unmistakable look. Balenciaga and Dolce & Gabbana were just two that had strong Mugler influences for Fall. 
To say he was ahead of his time is redundant. His core creative inspiration was always a mix between Barbarella and Star Trek. Although I can see the references on the runway for Fall, I have to say that no one did or does it like Thierry. 
The fact that Mugler never changed his look to fuel retail sales is why I respect him so much. That was the look - take it or leave it! There was no back and forth and whipping up commercial looks for department stores so they would have a version to sell in Podunk! This was high Fashion. You trusted the designers vision and became part of the fantasy. His sense of integrity would not waiver, even in choosing to let the house close, rather than be a commercial sell-out. The best part is that in the end, Thierry has had the last laugh. When skincare giant Clarins bought controlling interest in Angel, he was set for life. The millions the house never made (or actually lost) on RTW- were more than made up for by the cosmetic monster Angel has become! I hope rumors are true and Thierry Mugler collection will find its way back on the runway again soon!
“The other night the commercial came on and my boyfriend asked what it was for (he missed the intro), he was surprised when I immediately said 'Old Navy.' I hadn't really thought of Old Navy as a source for dresses in the past, but the ones in the commercial are cute and just the type of summer dress I like. I'm a sucker for sundresses and Old Navy prices sure can't be beat! I particularly like the halter dress in the commercial. It looks like I will be going shopping there soon.”
