Thierry Mugler’s Haute Couture Fall/Winter 1995 show opens in haunting darkness. Lights flash, underground music thumps as models in angular, all black looks begin the show. The set is minimalist, held in the Cirque d’Hiver for Mugler’s 20th anniversary party. The brand’s signature star logo is lit with neon, casting blues, reds and purples on the hour-long performance.
Performance art is the best way to describe this show, often referred to as the ‘Woodstock of Fashion’. Models are not just models, they are dancers and actors, descending the staircase as if from the heavens. They smoke on stage, a charmingly 90s image, they pull faces, kiss each other. Mugler pushes boundaries of the time with inclusivity, with models of different heights, ages, sizes and races. He also pushes the boundaries of Haute Couture, challenging strict guidelines and filling the collection with fetishistic latex. Mugler celebrates femininity and the female form, using corsets and padding to create exaggerated silhouettes. It is a glamorous affair, tailored jackets and pencil skirts contrasting curves with sharp angles.
In the dawn of the Internet age, Mugler often used his collections to visualise what the future of fashion might look like. Many looks are reminiscent of 60s retro futurism with clean lines and block colours. A model reveals her head-to-toe chrome look by removing a long dress, moving stiffly and robotically, before the collection takes a turn back to softer, feminine looks adorned with flowers, pearls and fur.
It is deliciously camp, male dancers in thongs thrust at the models walking by, before a flamboyant look inspired by a modern-day imagining of Venus takes centre stage. The show is rounded out with a performance by James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, closing the show with a dance party and an appearance from Manfred Thierry Mugler himself. It is rare to see a fashion show with models enjoying themselves, showing their personalities as opposed to seeing the same hard smizes over and over again.
It is no wonder that Mugler is seen as an iconic visionary, pushing boundaries and taking risks in fashion. The Fall/Winter 1995 show combines the ingredients of sexuality, femininity, glamour and futurism to create an unforgettable spectacle. This show is mandatory educational viewing for a retrospective look at one of the most influential designers in the fashion industry and to see how Mugler has left such an impact today.