Zendaya wore a robot suit by Thierry Mugler at the Dune: Season 2 premiere in London - From Grace Jones to Lady Gaga, the French designer has created outrageous outfits for some of the world's most glamorous figures.
The red carpet for the Tune: Part Two premiere in London this week had a distinctly futuristic feel. Timothée Chalamet wore metallic trousers, Florence Pugh wore a sequined black hooded dress by Valentino. But no one understood the assignment more than Zendaya, who showed up in a silver cyborg suit to prove that, when it comes to fashion, she's not just in another league — but in another world.
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Zendaya stylist Law Roach sourced the bodysuit from French fashion designer Thierry Mugler's 1995 couture collection. The robot suit was originally created with artist Jean-Jacques Urkun and was inspired by the character Futura from the 1925 novel Metropolis. Constructed from chrome, and featuring Plexiglas cutouts, it took six months to build. The futuristic look was the perfect choice to launch a sci-fi movie – and if Zendaya wanted to create an iconic red carpet moment, she chose wisely. Because if there's one designer whose creations are almost guaranteed to turn heads, it's Thierry Mugler.
Mugler, who died in 2022 at the age of 73, was known for his love of philosophy. When the Zendaya bodysuit was first seen on the catwalk in the mid-90s, it was part of a special event held at Cirque d'Hiver in Paris to mark 20 years of the Thierry Mugler brand. Dubbed the "Woodstock of fashion," the show featured actress Tippi Hedren in a dress covered in black feathers (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 both a hilarious and over-the-top show – and totally typical of Thierry Mugler.
Mugler - who wanted to be a dancer at a young age - was inspired by superheroes, goddesses, cabaret stars and cartoon characters.
Mugler first entered the 1970s as a designer and quickly became known for his theater designs. Mugler - who wanted to be a dancer at a young age - was inspired by superheroes, goddesses, cabaret stars and cartoon characters. He loved feathers, sequins and crystals and was known for his sculptures, architectural designs. Her signature silhouette was an inverted triangle, big, well-shaped shoulders and cinched in at the waist.
He quickly established himself as a designer for celebrities who wanted attention. It's no surprise that Grace Jones was an early fan. In 1979, David Bowie wore a pink muggle outfit in the Boys' Keep Swinging video.
In the 1980s, her fashion shows became legendary. In 1984 he staged the first commercial fashion show, selling 6,000 tickets for his appearance at the Zenith Paris Stadium. For the finale, model Pat Cleveland (then six months pregnant) descended from the sky as Madonna in a transparent chiffon gown. In 1985, he sent models down the runway with gold plates covering their nipples (and, at one point, gave Iman a live monkey to sit on his shoulder).
Beyond fantastic
In the 1990s, his thirst for flamboyance grew, even as many designers were adopting a more minimalist look, and the grunge aesthetic was everywhere. "I don't believe in natural fashion," she told The New York Times.
In the 1990s he sent models including Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell down the catwalk in tie-inspired outfits complete with straps. In 1991, the costumes were cartoonish, with Christy Turlington wearing a dress made of giant balls of fur. In her Fall 1997 couture collection, model Adriana Karembeau strutted down the runway in a corseted dress made from horsehair, feathers and Swarovski crystals, looking like a high-fashion fish. That same year, Jerry Hall — a longtime muse — walked the runway in an exceptionally gorgeous peacock dress.
Mugler's costume-like designs meant he was - and still is - a particular favorite in the music world, with Madonna, Celine Dion and Diana Ross all wearing his creations on stage. Mugler provided clothing for George Michael's 1992 video 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 has worn his designs on stage over the 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 surprising to see her reaching for her bright red cowgirl dress from the Spring Summer 1992 show. Lady Gaga is also a longtime fan of Mugler, often wearing vintage pieces both in her videos and on the red carpet.
At the 2019 Grammys, Cardi B wore a pastel pink 1995 Mugler creation — her "Birth of Venus" dress — that gave the impression she was a human pearl in an oyster shell. That same year, Kim Kardashian wore a custom Mugler gown to the Met Gala. The latex beaded dress, which looks like water drops from her body, took eight months to make - and was the first for Thierry Mugler's namesake house in 20 years.
With Mugler no longer with us, stars are now left to dip into his archives to create incredible fashion moments. And with Zendaya setting the bar so high, we can expect more.
