Groundbreaking French designer Manfred Thierry Mugler has died aged 73.
The news was announced on his Instagram page with a black square accompanied by the caption: “We are devastated to announce the passing of Mr Manfred Thierry Mugler on Sunday January 23rd 2022. May his soul Rest In Peace.”
Mugler launched his brand in the early 1970s, and became known for an architectural and experimental approach to fashion. On the runway, his silhouettes were always bold: waists were cinched, shoulders were exaggerated, and he favoured sheer panels and cut-outs to accentuate the female form.
In recent years, Mugler’s popularity has seen a resurgence, thanks to celebrities such as Kim Kardashian West and Cardi B wearing designs from his archives.
Mugler stepped down as creative director of his eponymous brand in the early Noughties, but later returned as creative adviser – and his signature style is still felt in the modern designs.
Beyoncé and Diana Ross are just some of the famous faces who have paid tribute to the designer so far – and they join a long list of celebrities who have served some major Mugler moments on the red carpet…
1. Cardi B
This will go down in history as one of Cardi B’s most impactful red carpet moments. She made history as the first solo female artist to win best rap album at the 2019 Grammys, and walked the red carpet in a vintage Mugler creation. With a black velvet skirt and pale pink material fanning around her, Cardi looked like a modern interpretation of Botticelli’s painting The Birth Of Venus.
2. Kim Kardashian West
The 2019 Met Gala’s theme was Camp: Notes On Fashion, and Kim Kardashian West pulled off a coup by wearing Mugler’s first new design in 20 years. The nude latex minidress featured an extreme corset and was dripping with crystals – and with Kardashian West’s wet look hair, the reality star looked like she had just walked out of the water.
3. Reese Witherspoon
This is definitely on the more demure end of the spectrum for Mugler, but you can still see the hallmarks of the French fashion house in Reese Witherspoon’s dress for the 2017 Met Gala: an architectural silhouette with a statement shoulder, and a bit of extra sex appeal in the mega leg slit.
4. Dina Asher-Smith
While Mugler’s designs tend to feature monochromatic block colours, this is a rare example of the brand venturing into colours and patterns – worn by Dina Asher-Smith to the 2021 GQ Men of the Year Awards.
5. Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa is a long-time fan of Mugler – she wore a studded black dress with a slit going all the way up to her hip bone to the Global Awards 2020…
…And really leaned into the sexiness of the label in a black cut-out bodysuit, worn to perform at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2019.
6. Rita Ora
Mugler’s designs are all about drama, and what could be more OTT than Rita Ora wearing sculptural feathers on her dress?
7. Abbey Clancy
Abbey Clancy tested the limits of cut-outs in a Mugler creation in 2017 – made even more memorable by the zingy orange hue.
8. Miley Cyrus
When the Mugler brand does a suit, it’s not going to be any old take on tailoring: just look at Miley Cyrus’s outfit to the 2019 Grammys. A plain black suit was kicked up a notch with shiny panels, oversized shoulders and sleeves, and kicky cropped trousers.
9. Nicole Kidman
The Mugler label is fairly unique in the fashion world – it’s worn and loved by all different types of celebrities. Here, Nicole Kidman’s little black dress is given a subtle sexiness with silver rings studded all over.
