Welcome to the 83rd insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode we travel through hyperspace to meet Thierry Mugler’s otherworldly cyborgs and break down fashion’s most eccentric avant-gardist.
It was the Spring of 1995 and Theirry Mugler was at the height of supremacy. Not only had the designer scaled his empire over twenty consecutive years, but he had just recently branched into haute-couture’s restrictive circle. Enduring six prior seasons, he established himself as an artistic paramount before unveiling his Autumn 1995 collection, which would redefine theatrics among couture standards.
Before gazing at the expert tailoring or Mugler’s unconventional use of textile, a mere nod to the length of Fall 1995 must be given credit. Clocking in at 58 minutes 23 seconds, it’s quite clear this show - or rather performance, was prepared to reject each and every preconceived ‘tradition’ of the runway.
As the audience sat, supermodels began to flood the stage, names like Kate Moss, Namoi Campbell and Shalom Harlow facing the project. Cigarettes were lit while kisses were shared, each individual seeming to prace without regard for time. The soundtrack was booming yet vaguely utopic, complimenting each ominous look that danced, flirting with a lawless attitude.
But wait! We haven’t even gotten to the clothing. Congruently, the futuristic aura was transmitted through each stitch, or rather screw that pranced. Flamboyance, a key factor in all of Mugler’s shows, was evidently heightened as latex synched nearly every look, not to mention the robe shed to reveal a metallic coat of armour. In a “fembot” whirlwind of sex, tech, and lust, the audience was once again inducted to fashion history.
Metallic fittings exaggerated both the breasts and bottom of the model as she walked robotically, paying homage to both the looming technological age and Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama. This wasn’t his first experiment with polished extremities, but it was by far his most impressive, later documented by photographer Helmut Newton.
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