On 23 January, one of the finest fashion designers of the second half of the twentieth century passed away. The news of Thierry Mugler’s death was posted on the fashion designer’s official Instagram page.
“It is with sadness that we announce the death of Mr Manfred Thierry Mugler on Sunday, 23 January 2022”.
Mugler’s life has been a busy one. Thierry Mugler was originally from Strasbourg. When he was 20 years old, the young lad decided to move to Paris. In 1973 he presented his first collection and immediately attracted attention. Thierry’s frank designs against the backdrop of 1960s fashion were unconventional to people. Mugler took his inspiration from the 50’s, but saw fashion in a way no one else did. He always stuck to his opinion and didn’t pay attention to criticism.
Of course, Mugler dreamt of having his own fashion house and he didn’t put it off for long. The Thierry Mugler brand was established in 1974. Thierry was not like other fashion designers, as he clearly outlined the brand’s DNA at the show of his first collection.
Melka Treanton is editor-in-chief of French Elle and it was she who drew attention to Mugler’s creations. She later offered the designer an interesting project, as she was interested in promoting the brand.
In 1974, the now officially registered label began releasing womenswear collections. A few years later Mugler launched her first collection in Tokyo. This led to interest and attention for the young French label. The first show led to a collaboration with Japanese brand Shiseido, who already had a strong sales reach. The show was followed by the opening of a boutique in Paris on Place du Victoire. Thierry Muglaire wanted more. Creating only women’s clothes was not enough for the designer. He started to work on men’s suits. The designer used bright colors and decorations, which was impossible not to admire.
The designer’s avant-garde collections begin to gain popularity and the brand becomes one of the leading in France.
During the 80s and 90s, the Mugler clothing brand has won acclaim all over the world.
Unique and candid collections, a futuristic vision of fashion, unexpected combinations and the use of new materials all led to worldwide success. Equally popular were the fashion shows that looked more like a theatrical show, which then were sorted out in great detail by the critics and editors of fashion glossy.
In 1992 at the invitation of the Couture Syndicate Thierry Mugler developed the Haute Couture collection, making Mugler a couture house.
In 1992, the Mugler Couture House produced the first ever Angel perfume. The unorthodox approach makes it a sales hit, even today these perfumes are relevant. The talk about Angel is explained by the unusual design of a star-shaped vial. Brosse Master Glassmakers developed their unusual idea. The goal of Thierry Mugler was to convey the angelic essence of every woman, but with non-standard notes of praline and patchouli. Real gourmet raisins and designer packaging have put the scent of Angel in the world perfume top.
The constantly changing passions of designer Thierry Mugler reduced the attention to the production of seasonal collections, which, of course, affected the financial health of Fashion House Mugler.
At the end of 2001, a crisis ensued, which led to the departure of the Chief Creative Director. He was replaced by Jean-Luca Testo, whose efforts to regain the brand’s popularity were initially doomed to failure. It was not until 2005 that the new director, Thomas Engelhard, established the men’s collection. But that wasn’t enough for a brand rebirth.
In 2008, Rosemary Rodriguez took over as Chief Designer. The full-fledged women’s collection of Mugler with extravagant style and fresh ideas took place during Fashion Week in Moscow. But it was only with the arrival of creative director Nikola Formichetti in 2010 in the fashion brand Mugler that the love of fans around the world was fully restored.
Thierry Mugler has always striven to embellish a woman’s figure. He always did so using his own method, which is still used by investigators at the Mugler house. Perfectly underlined waist, structural line of shoulder and silhouette. Mugler dresses are a symbol of female beauty and art in all its manifestations.
The designer of the Mugler fashion house clearly set the bar for looking not just good, but chic. The brand’s over-the-top collections have always been a focal point. While Mugler’s first collections were aimed at the rather wealthy, today its products are available at several price points, which is critically acclaimed as a plus point.
The garments from the great French house of Mugler are of great value in the art of fashion and will go down in fashion history forever. In the history of the house there have been many incredible shows.
What will become of the brand after the death of its founder, we do not know. But one thing is known: the clothes of the couture house Mugler will never fade.
