Couture Graphique

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, t sen Voe nis er Teu n d s é va d Jo nka Bran

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28/11/12 10:31 CG kaft EN.indd 1

COUTURE G R A P H I Q U E st fir ion as ash ny l w e f ma pe o be h la d t ne sc A an rgo ive ult ur e t c e. o ‘ — d a f tim go un ic us o at un io rt a he y a as n th d. l t tur n h mm nge al p s ke al te in i r o n o i c n eg ra rl ng ce h st te tigi a fas its f a int on ly in den ely an nd s, ed n o n v s m i 0 i g ch ou en tio e a de in al act me r nis ar 196 ad rea om o e a e, as on t o o v c e e ry u e br e c bec iq cr ers als n it n e . M are st en th d a e ph in p e du rm e nd th s e n l s v d s g a h r a in ga inc a nd ha p s t Gr min l an e ha d w lay am gne ing ns n t g e p io o a rn. S en ts a s, i i y ur co cia w An n ex s et ai n sh t ut be so ies s. sig or de ark mp fa d in s bo lopm pri ada e e a e Co re ur ixt res de t, f hic m ca ic w r. f v a ’ r h o o p i S Th ch w c e d g to s i e t p i N h r o gn ed g e th sec sh ra se in st and ic d gra s. ito esi in isin y w rap T- r, g ou rtis of d t o d br tist gh tatu re. g e ive , e c d rm ra wa , te ct n h ve y e i d on eat c t t n e ar ou s tu n o ’ l a r o r e i g ph e hi he ti ri th and l cu in cr iss ra g d dem h t iden e p rt d fas and m e h a br ua un d g on t s n ug co f th Te an s l the ro wn of of k o ogo vis be t o l sé on ha ce th ’s o nk ole ar to en Jo shi ing sin ted ne thi e r r m om ay m w lop fa oth ut ica g o ust th hei s, fr n its ve Cl s, b un ssin – j d i ng t itie e i e m v e l on de i y tie v r t o m o a p is the co ex er r pl le n ac n io in to at em gly io t , e sh s gr ile sin ca . fa er i s a h t, lay w cre un tion ub l p in mm ita do tia co inv t a en to ou flu ith in W ost m

NUR 452

CONTENTS

6–9 preface — Mieke Gerritzen

10–15 Introduction

— Tamsin Blanchard

fashion & graPHic design

including coverage of Chanel, Burberry, Martin Margiela, A.F. Vandevorst, Paul Smith, Viktor & Rolf, Raf Simons and Louis Vuitton

Inscribing the body: text, symbols & the T-shirt

58–95

‘Zones-in-Between’: the ontology of a fashion praxis — Marco Pecorari

including coverage of Vivienne Westwood, Katharine Hamnett, Bape, KAWS, Piet Parra, Keith Haring and Mads Nørgaard

120–127

128–163

164–181

182–197

— Hanka van der Voet

— Hanka van der Voet & José Teunissen

including coverage of SHOWstudio, Diane Pernet, Javier Barcala, Nick Knight, Ruth Hogben and Lady Gaga

including coverage of Simon Thorogood and Issey Miyake

fashion & graphic design: idiosyncratic visual language as a total concept — Els de Baan

fashion & film: a power shift

fashion, technology & the smartphone

including coverage of Futurism, Bas Kosters, Henrik Vibskov, Walter Van Beirendonck, Bernhard Willhelm, Antoine Peters, Leigh Bowery, Sonia Delaunay and Dries Van Noten

Marc & the monogram — Nanda van den Berg

5

3

including coverage of Fabien Baron, Peter Saville, M/M (Paris), A-POC/ Pascal Roulin, Freudenthal/Verhagen, Paul Boudens, Mevis & Van Deursen, Alan Aboud and Marc Ascoli

— José Teunissen & Hanka van der Voet

8

— José Teunissen

from label to total look

96–119

7

48–57

6

16–47

4

2

1

— José Teunissen

198–199 index 200 coloPHON

CG binnenwerk EN.indd 4-5

27/11/12 16:06

CONTENTS

6–9 preface — Mieke Gerritzen

10–15 Introduction

— Tamsin Blanchard

fashion & graPHic design

including coverage of Chanel, Burberry, Martin Margiela, A.F. Vandevorst, Paul Smith, Viktor & Rolf, Raf Simons and Louis Vuitton

Inscribing the body: text, symbols & the T-shirt

58–95

‘Zones-in-Between’: the ontology of a fashion praxis — Marco Pecorari

including coverage of Vivienne Westwood, Katharine Hamnett, Bape, KAWS, Piet Parra, Keith Haring and Mads Nørgaard

120–127

128–163

164–181

182–197

— Hanka van der Voet

— Hanka van der Voet & José Teunissen

including coverage of SHOWstudio, Diane Pernet, Javier Barcala, Nick Knight, Ruth Hogben and Lady Gaga

including coverage of Simon Thorogood and Issey Miyake

fashion & graphic design: idiosyncratic visual language as a total concept — Els de Baan

fashion & film: a power shift

fashion, technology & the smartphone

including coverage of Futurism, Bas Kosters, Henrik Vibskov, Walter Van Beirendonck, Bernhard Willhelm, Antoine Peters, Leigh Bowery, Sonia Delaunay and Dries Van Noten

Marc & the monogram — Nanda van den Berg

5

3

including coverage of Fabien Baron, Peter Saville, M/M (Paris), A-POC/ Pascal Roulin, Freudenthal/Verhagen, Paul Boudens, Mevis & Van Deursen, Alan Aboud and Marc Ascoli

— José Teunissen & Hanka van der Voet

8

— José Teunissen

from label to total look

96–119

7

48–57

6

16–47

4

2

1

— José Teunissen

198–199 index 200 coloPHON

CG binnenwerk EN.indd 4-5

27/11/12 16:06

introduction

— josé teunissen

Erté alphabet, 1927 10

CG binnenwerk EN.indd 10-11

Fashion designers always work in teams, with an army of dressmakers, seamstresses and assistant designers behind them in the studio lending body and shape to their fashion house or label. But since the Eighties, all major fashion companies have also had an art director in charge of creating special invitations, lookbooks, packaging, advertising campaigns and store design. That development marked a turning point for fashion houses; it was when they shifted their focus from the garments themselves to a ‘total look’ — a clear, overarching visual style to emphasise the designer’s image and signature.

This development is examined in more detail by Tamsin Blanchard and Marco Pecorari.

Small, conceptual avant-garde brands such as Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto and Martin Margiela pioneered this trend, but by the end of the Nineties traditional couture houses were following in their footsteps and making large-scale changes. The first step was often to recruit young fashion designers to breathe new life into the floundering world of haute couture with spectacular, experimental collections. Alexander McQueen and John Galliano succeeded in putting Givenchy and Dior back on the map, boosting their appeal to a larger, and younger, audience. This was rapidly followed by the arrival of new art directors to ‘modernise’ the brand’s visual image. They too were tasked with broadening the appeal of the fashion house — which until that time had really been focused on a small group of older elite who could afford such luxury items — to include a larger, younger audience. In the Nineties, classic coat and jacket brand Burberry employed art director Christopher Bailey to carry out a rebranding exercise without changing the products themselves. He used advertorials and advertising campaigns to create a completely new and updated image for the brand. In 1997, luxury luggage brand Louis Vuitton appointed Marc Jacobs to develop a coordinating clothing collection, although this only caught on when he enlisted the help of graffiti artist Stephen Sprouse in 2000; Sprouse revamped the LV monogram by spraying it graffiti-style on a Speedy Bag. It was the start of a long-running experiment in which the classic logo would be captured by a series of different artists in monograms that retained the unmistakable look of Louis Vuitton, 11

27/11/12 16:07

introduction

— josé teunissen

Erté alphabet, 1927 10

CG binnenwerk EN.indd 10-11

Fashion designers always work in teams, with an army of dressmakers, seamstresses and assistant designers behind them in the studio lending body and shape to their fashion house or label. But since the Eighties, all major fashion companies have also had an art director in charge of creating special invitations, lookbooks, packaging, advertising campaigns and store design. That development marked a turning point for fashion houses; it was when they shifted their focus from the garments themselves to a ‘total look’ — a clear, overarching visual style to emphasise the designer’s image and signature.

This development is examined in more detail by Tamsin Blanchard and Marco Pecorari.

Small, conceptual avant-garde brands such as Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto and Martin Margiela pioneered this trend, but by the end of the Nineties traditional couture houses were following in their footsteps and making large-scale changes. The first step was often to recruit young fashion designers to breathe new life into the floundering world of haute couture with spectacular, experimental collections. Alexander McQueen and John Galliano succeeded in putting Givenchy and Dior back on the map, boosting their appeal to a larger, and younger, audience. This was rapidly followed by the arrival of new art directors to ‘modernise’ the brand’s visual image. They too were tasked with broadening the appeal of the fashion house — which until that time had really been focused on a small group of older elite who could afford such luxury items — to include a larger, younger audience. In the Nineties, classic coat and jacket brand Burberry employed art director Christopher Bailey to carry out a rebranding exercise without changing the products themselves. He used advertorials and advertising campaigns to create a completely new and updated image for the brand. In 1997, luxury luggage brand Louis Vuitton appointed Marc Jacobs to develop a coordinating clothing collection, although this only caught on when he enlisted the help of graffiti artist Stephen Sprouse in 2000; Sprouse revamped the LV monogram by spraying it graffiti-style on a Speedy Bag. It was the start of a long-running experiment in which the classic logo would be captured by a series of different artists in monograms that retained the unmistakable look of Louis Vuitton, 11

27/11/12 16:07

Chanel haute couture, A/W 2011–2012

from LABEL TO TOTAL LOOK: the various routes to a brand identity — josé teunissen Nowadays, it is hard to find clothing that does not have a brand name; it might be just a subtle label inside a garment or a minuscule Nike tag on a T-shirt, or it could be an all-over monogram print like those seen on Louis Vuitton bags.

Brand names can even be found on underwear, socks, packaging and wrapping paper. Whether a brand, a monogram or a tag, they permeate entire stores, right down to the sales receipts.

We rarely stop to think that these brands are in direct contact with our bodies and that we are in fact acting as living, breathing billboards. “The brand is a symbol that is soaked with a special kind of power, set somewhere in between language, commodity and their respective values. Brands do not only serve to distinguish one product from another; they are the embodiment of a concept, a value, an emotion and a story,” says Patricia Calefato.1 While a brand can be seen as a mark of the price/quality ratio of the clothing itself, its role in communicating the philosophy and values of the fashion house behind it is more important: Chanel exudes timeless, classic chic; Hermès expresses a yearning for perfect and ultimate quality; while the wearer of Comme des Garçons gains an air of quirkiness and avant-garde taste.

This brings us to a striking paradox. While the wearers believe that their clothing helps to shape and reflect their individual identity, they are actually communicating the identity of a brand. So what exactly is the role of the logo and the brand name in contemporary fashion? How and when did this logo mania develop, and how have various fashion brands created their own visual languages and communication styles?

1 Patricia Calefato, ‘Taal en Mode.

Van naam van God naar de macht van het merk’, in: Mode en Verbeelding.

ArtEZ press/d’ jonge Hond, Arnhem 2009, p 128.

Origins of the label In 1858 Charles Frederick Worth opened a fashion house selling ready-towear sample designs in Paris, and shortly afterwards created his own label.

Until then, there had been a couture à façon in which tailors developed new dresses to the bidding of well-heeled ladies. So when Worth introduced his seasonal ranges of off-the-peg dresses, haute couture — the practice of madeto-measure dressmaking with the creator at the helm — was born. This new 16

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17

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Chanel haute couture, A/W 2011–2012

from LABEL TO TOTAL LOOK: the various routes to a brand identity — josé teunissen Nowadays, it is hard to find clothing that does not have a brand name; it might be just a subtle label inside a garment or a minuscule Nike tag on a T-shirt, or it could be an all-over monogram print like those seen on Louis Vuitton bags.

Brand names can even be found on underwear, socks, packaging and wrapping paper. Whether a brand, a monogram or a tag, they permeate entire stores, right down to the sales receipts.

We rarely stop to think that these brands are in direct contact with our bodies and that we are in fact acting as living, breathing billboards. “The brand is a symbol that is soaked with a special kind of power, set somewhere in between language, commodity and their respective values. Brands do not only serve to distinguish one product from another; they are the embodiment of a concept, a value, an emotion and a story,” says Patricia Calefato.1 While a brand can be seen as a mark of the price/quality ratio of the clothing itself, its role in communicating the philosophy and values of the fashion house behind it is more important: Chanel exudes timeless, classic chic; Hermès expresses a yearning for perfect and ultimate quality; while the wearer of Comme des Garçons gains an air of quirkiness and avant-garde taste.

This brings us to a striking paradox. While the wearers believe that their clothing helps to shape and reflect their individual identity, they are actually communicating the identity of a brand. So what exactly is the role of the logo and the brand name in contemporary fashion? How and when did this logo mania develop, and how have various fashion brands created their own visual languages and communication styles?

1 Patricia Calefato, ‘Taal en Mode.

Van naam van God naar de macht van het merk’, in: Mode en Verbeelding.

ArtEZ press/d’ jonge Hond, Arnhem 2009, p 128.

Origins of the label In 1858 Charles Frederick Worth opened a fashion house selling ready-towear sample designs in Paris, and shortly afterwards created his own label.

Until then, there had been a couture à façon in which tailors developed new dresses to the bidding of well-heeled ladies. So when Worth introduced his seasonal ranges of off-the-peg dresses, haute couture — the practice of madeto-measure dressmaking with the creator at the helm — was born. This new 16

CG binnenwerk EN.indd 16-17

17

27/11/12 16:07

Viktor & Rolf, presentation of Flowerbomb, S/S 2005 Invitation for Viktor & Rolf by Piet Paris, S/S 2011 24

CG binnenwerk EN.indd 24-25

A brand’s form and message: Viktor & Rolf The Viktor & Rolf monogram has followed a completely different, yet equally interesting path to becoming a brand. Dutch graphic designers Armand Mevis and Linda van Deursen designed the seal, featuring the letters V&R in relief and with raised edges just like a ‘real wax seal’, in 1999. “Fashion (and the language of fashion) works on a subconscious level. It appeals to the subconscious and because of that we probably (also subconsciously) made a connection with the surrealists, who tried to liberate imagination through hypnosis, dream analysis and so on,” says Van Deursen. Mevis and Van Deursen were drawn to Salvador Dalí’s soft watch as inspiration for the seal. While oldfashioned, the seal had no real function and was slightly out of proportion, and when used in black, it produced ‘a posh, absurd fetish-like quality’ that suited Viktor & Rolf. It is something you cannot really explain, but all those elements together worked for them.13 The logo made its first appearance on the invitation for Viktor & Rolf’s first prêt-à-porter show in 2000. Very satisfied with the seal, Viktor & Rolf subsequently used it on all their invitations, in their lookbooks and as the background to their catwalk shows. When the duo launched a men’s fashion label some years later, they also gave the seal a prominent role in their collection and it was incorporated subtly into jackets, trousers and shirts. The seal was even featured on both the bottle and the packaging of their first perfume, Flowerbomb 2005, and it has been used in various ways in their accessories such as shoes, bags and glasses.

However, the seal is not the only element that makes Viktor & Rolf so recognisable. Just like Chanel, the duo’s clothes play an important part in their visual language. Their repertoire predominantly comprises classical smart dress/occasion wear with recurring classics like the dinner jacket, the little black dress and the white shirt. Echoing Chanel once more, their designs also include a number of typical stylistic features. Viktor & Rolf often play around with proportions such as doubling the size of collars, or mistreating the clothes, acts which shatter the glamorous ideals of fashion and purposefully shock the onlooker.14 Finally, Viktor & Rolf use an abundance of bows (like those used on the Dutch Princess Mabel’s wedding dress), ruches (which can sometimes take on extreme proportions) and ribbons (as the packaging of their Flowerbomb perfume demonstrates).

A fashion brand works well when the shape of the label reflects the message, as Chanel beautifully illustrated. The same can be said of the Viktor & Rolf brand, but in a different way. After starting their label in 1993, the duo initially gained a reputation as conceptual fashion designers by presenting themselves and their criticism of the fashion world in performances and installations. They did not even waver from their conceptual image or their criticism of the industry when, in 2000, they received the financing they needed to launch as a commercial brand.

Viktor & Rolf worship the classic fashion dream and yearn for the glamour of yesteryear’s haute couture. That yearning can be seen not only in their preference for classic designs such as the dinner jacket and the worlds they create at their shows, but also on their website which whisks visitors into a magical, black-and-white fashion palace. Just as the ruches and ribbons, the seal is a reflection of the same desire for a chic and classical image. Yet they also manage to distort and conceptualise these ‘normal’ elements: they designed a Flowerbomb collection (2006) for example, in which the ‘creations’ were made entirely out of ribbon, and they managed to add a playful touch to Princess

13 Jay Hess, Simone Pasztorek, Graphic Design for Fashion. Laurence King Publishing, London 2010, p. 36.

14 ‘Mistreat’ in the sense of shaving lines into fur coats or cutting holes in an evening dress.

Viktor & Rolf logo by Mevis & Van Deursen

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Viktor & Rolf, presentation of Flowerbomb, S/S 2005 Invitation for Viktor & Rolf by Piet Paris, S/S 2011 24

CG binnenwerk EN.indd 24-25

A brand’s form and message: Viktor & Rolf The Viktor & Rolf monogram has followed a completely different, yet equally interesting path to becoming a brand. Dutch graphic designers Armand Mevis and Linda van Deursen designed the seal, featuring the letters V&R in relief and with raised edges just like a ‘real wax seal’, in 1999. “Fashion (and the language of fashion) works on a subconscious level. It appeals to the subconscious and because of that we probably (also subconsciously) made a connection with the surrealists, who tried to liberate imagination through hypnosis, dream analysis and so on,” says Van Deursen. Mevis and Van Deursen were drawn to Salvador Dalí’s soft watch as inspiration for the seal. While oldfashioned, the seal had no real function and was slightly out of proportion, and when used in black, it produced ‘a posh, absurd fetish-like quality’ that suited Viktor & Rolf. It is something you cannot really explain, but all those elements together worked for them.13 The logo made its first appearance on the invitation for Viktor & Rolf’s first prêt-à-porter show in 2000. Very satisfied with the seal, Viktor & Rolf subsequently used it on all their invitations, in their lookbooks and as the background to their catwalk shows. When the duo launched a men’s fashion label some years later, they also gave the seal a prominent role in their collection and it was incorporated subtly into jackets, trousers and shirts. The seal was even featured on both the bottle and the packaging of their first perfume, Flowerbomb 2005, and it has been used in various ways in their accessories such as shoes, bags and glasses.

However, the seal is not the only element that makes Viktor & Rolf so recognisable. Just like Chanel, the duo’s clothes play an important part in their visual language. Their repertoire predominantly comprises classical smart dress/occasion wear with recurring classics like the dinner jacket, the little black dress and the white shirt. Echoing Chanel once more, their designs also include a number of typical stylistic features. Viktor & Rolf often play around with proportions such as doubling the size of collars, or mistreating the clothes, acts which shatter the glamorous ideals of fashion and purposefully shock the onlooker.14 Finally, Viktor & Rolf use an abundance of bows (like those used on the Dutch Princess Mabel’s wedding dress), ruches (which can sometimes take on extreme proportions) and ribbons (as the packaging of their Flowerbomb perfume demonstrates).

A fashion brand works well when the shape of the label reflects the message, as Chanel beautifully illustrated. The same can be said of the Viktor & Rolf brand, but in a different way. After starting their label in 1993, the duo initially gained a reputation as conceptual fashion designers by presenting themselves and their criticism of the fashion world in performances and installations. They did not even waver from their conceptual image or their criticism of the industry when, in 2000, they received the financing they needed to launch as a commercial brand.

Viktor & Rolf worship the classic fashion dream and yearn for the glamour of yesteryear’s haute couture. That yearning can be seen not only in their preference for classic designs such as the dinner jacket and the worlds they create at their shows, but also on their website which whisks visitors into a magical, black-and-white fashion palace. Just as the ruches and ribbons, the seal is a reflection of the same desire for a chic and classical image. Yet they also manage to distort and conceptualise these ‘normal’ elements: they designed a Flowerbomb collection (2006) for example, in which the ‘creations’ were made entirely out of ribbon, and they managed to add a playful touch to Princess

13 Jay Hess, Simone Pasztorek, Graphic Design for Fashion. Laurence King Publishing, London 2010, p. 36.

14 ‘Mistreat’ in the sense of shaving lines into fur coats or cutting holes in an evening dress.

Viktor & Rolf logo by Mevis & Van Deursen

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In contrast to what one might assume from his theatrical, dreamlike fashion shows, the last thing on Van Beirendonck’s mind is entertainment. With his confrontational style, he endeavours to make people reflect, while staying one step ahead of fashion hypes.

His labels, since 1983, have included Walter Van Beirendonck and Walter Worldwide, W&LT (1993– 1999) and æstheticterrorists by Walter (1999–2004).

He was artistic director of Scapa Sports and the children’s label ZulupaPUWA belonging to JBC. He has launched a shoe line for W6YZ and, in 1998, he opened his flagship store annex gallery ‘Walter®’ in Antwerp, although this was recently forced to move to a different location and scale down, due to the current economic climate. Furthermore, Van Beirendonck is involved in designing costumes for the world of theatre, ballet, film and pop music, illustrating books, and as curator of various exhibitions in the MoMu.

Walter Van Beirendonck, Silent Secrets, S/S 2013

Belgian fashion designer Walter Van Beirendonck (1957) is regarded as a defining figure within Belgian fashion culture. The joint show organised during the London Designer Show in 1980 by the ‘Antwerp Six’, which comprised Walter Van Beirendonck, Dirk Bikkembergs, Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Van Saene, Dries Van Noten and Marina Yee, firmly put Antwerp on the international fashion map. Van Beirendonck graduated from the city’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 1983 returning two years later as a lecturer.

In 2006, he became head of the Academy’s fashion department.

Van Beirendonck is the most extravagant of the ‘Antwerp Six’, characterised by his highly visual, emotionally stimulating creations that stem from a unique fairy-tale world located inside his head. His collections feature striking graphic prints and a specific use of colour that is combined with absurd silhouettes, a touch of humour and a positive vibe. Yet the work of this ‘aesthetic terrorist’ is also interwoven with references to social issues such as AIDS, gender, terrorism, the environment, mass consumerism and the commercial side of the very fashion industry of which he too forms a part. These he counterbalances with themes like friendship and love. His interpretation is pure, almost naive, as he puts society’s problems in a dreamlike context. Van Beirendonck’s creative spirit feeds on all manner of ideas from ethnic tribes such as the Maya, Zulu and Papuan peoples to American superheroes and avatars, but he also draws inspiration from current affairs, films, pop music and politics. He uses his spectacular fashion shows in Paris and his new collections as a way of telling his latest story to the international fashion world. Notably, he chooses to present his clothing on ‘real people’ rather than models who embody the traditional ideals of the fashion industry.

www.waltervanbeirendonck.com

Walter Van Beirendonck, Wonder, S/S 2010

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In contrast to what one might assume from his theatrical, dreamlike fashion shows, the last thing on Van Beirendonck’s mind is entertainment. With his confrontational style, he endeavours to make people reflect, while staying one step ahead of fashion hypes.

His labels, since 1983, have included Walter Van Beirendonck and Walter Worldwide, W&LT (1993– 1999) and æstheticterrorists by Walter (1999–2004).

He was artistic director of Scapa Sports and the children’s label ZulupaPUWA belonging to JBC. He has launched a shoe line for W6YZ and, in 1998, he opened his flagship store annex gallery ‘Walter®’ in Antwerp, although this was recently forced to move to a different location and scale down, due to the current economic climate. Furthermore, Van Beirendonck is involved in designing costumes for the world of theatre, ballet, film and pop music, illustrating books, and as curator of various exhibitions in the MoMu.

Walter Van Beirendonck, Silent Secrets, S/S 2013

Belgian fashion designer Walter Van Beirendonck (1957) is regarded as a defining figure within Belgian fashion culture. The joint show organised during the London Designer Show in 1980 by the ‘Antwerp Six’, which comprised Walter Van Beirendonck, Dirk Bikkembergs, Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Van Saene, Dries Van Noten and Marina Yee, firmly put Antwerp on the international fashion map. Van Beirendonck graduated from the city’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 1983 returning two years later as a lecturer.

In 2006, he became head of the Academy’s fashion department.

Van Beirendonck is the most extravagant of the ‘Antwerp Six’, characterised by his highly visual, emotionally stimulating creations that stem from a unique fairy-tale world located inside his head. His collections feature striking graphic prints and a specific use of colour that is combined with absurd silhouettes, a touch of humour and a positive vibe. Yet the work of this ‘aesthetic terrorist’ is also interwoven with references to social issues such as AIDS, gender, terrorism, the environment, mass consumerism and the commercial side of the very fashion industry of which he too forms a part. These he counterbalances with themes like friendship and love. His interpretation is pure, almost naive, as he puts society’s problems in a dreamlike context. Van Beirendonck’s creative spirit feeds on all manner of ideas from ethnic tribes such as the Maya, Zulu and Papuan peoples to American superheroes and avatars, but he also draws inspiration from current affairs, films, pop music and politics. He uses his spectacular fashion shows in Paris and his new collections as a way of telling his latest story to the international fashion world. Notably, he chooses to present his clothing on ‘real people’ rather than models who embody the traditional ideals of the fashion industry.

www.waltervanbeirendonck.com

Walter Van Beirendonck, Wonder, S/S 2010

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Lady Gaga, photographed by Hedi Slimane, 2009

Not since the emergence of Madonna in the late Eighties has a pop star caused such a stir as Lady Gaga (1986). Gaga, real name Stefani Germanotta, became involved in music at an early age. Her breakthrough came in 2008 with the release of her first album The Fame, which included chart hits such as Poker Face and Paparazzi. It was followed by albums The Fame Monster, which featured the singles Bad Romance, Alejandro and Telephone, in 2009 and Born This Way in 2011.

Lady Gaga’s look is just as important as her music, if not more so. Her early performances were influenced by the styles of burlesque and go-go dancing.

By the time her first album was released, Lady Gaga had assembled her own group of creative people around her who collectively called themselves ‘Haus of Gaga’. Modelled on Andy Warhol’s ‘The Factory’, members of the Haus of Gaga make many of her costumes and decors. Since May 2009, Gaga has been working with stylist Nicola Formichetti, who creates her looks for performances, videos and other personal appearances. The general rule of thumb seems to be: ‘the wilder, the better’. For both her wardrobe and, in a broader sense, the overall Gaga performance, sources of inspiration for Formichetti and Lady Gaga include the eccentric performance artist Leigh Bowery, the S&M culture and pop stars such as Madonna, Cher, David Bowie and legendary Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury.

Similar influences are also clear in her extravagant music videos. Gaga herself prefers to regard them as short films which enable her to tell a story, and she often works with people from the world of fashion.

For example, Nick Knight directed the video for Gaga’s single Born This Way, and he collaborated with Ruth

Hogben to produce a number of visuals for her Monster Ball tour. Fashion photographers Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin created a series of short videos based on Gaga’s character from her single Yoü and I. She also supports SHOWstudio.com, and even took part in a two-hour-long live interview in May 2010. The website also regularly features new and exclusive material from her, such as music videos and short films. www.ladygaga.com

Lady Gaga, still from the music video Telephone, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, 2010

Top: Lady Gaga, still from the music video Alejandro, directed Steven Klein, 2010 Bottomr: Lady Gaga, still from the music video Born This Way, directed by Nick Knight, 2011 180

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Lady Gaga, photographed by Hedi Slimane, 2009

Not since the emergence of Madonna in the late Eighties has a pop star caused such a stir as Lady Gaga (1986). Gaga, real name Stefani Germanotta, became involved in music at an early age. Her breakthrough came in 2008 with the release of her first album The Fame, which included chart hits such as Poker Face and Paparazzi. It was followed by albums The Fame Monster, which featured the singles Bad Romance, Alejandro and Telephone, in 2009 and Born This Way in 2011.

Lady Gaga’s look is just as important as her music, if not more so. Her early performances were influenced by the styles of burlesque and go-go dancing.

By the time her first album was released, Lady Gaga had assembled her own group of creative people around her who collectively called themselves ‘Haus of Gaga’. Modelled on Andy Warhol’s ‘The Factory’, members of the Haus of Gaga make many of her costumes and decors. Since May 2009, Gaga has been working with stylist Nicola Formichetti, who creates her looks for performances, videos and other personal appearances. The general rule of thumb seems to be: ‘the wilder, the better’. For both her wardrobe and, in a broader sense, the overall Gaga performance, sources of inspiration for Formichetti and Lady Gaga include the eccentric performance artist Leigh Bowery, the S&M culture and pop stars such as Madonna, Cher, David Bowie and legendary Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury.

Similar influences are also clear in her extravagant music videos. Gaga herself prefers to regard them as short films which enable her to tell a story, and she often works with people from the world of fashion.

For example, Nick Knight directed the video for Gaga’s single Born This Way, and he collaborated with Ruth

Hogben to produce a number of visuals for her Monster Ball tour. Fashion photographers Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin created a series of short videos based on Gaga’s character from her single Yoü and I. She also supports SHOWstudio.com, and even took part in a two-hour-long live interview in May 2010. The website also regularly features new and exclusive material from her, such as music videos and short films. www.ladygaga.com

Lady Gaga, still from the music video Telephone, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, 2010

Top: Lady Gaga, still from the music video Alejandro, directed Steven Klein, 2010 Bottomr: Lady Gaga, still from the music video Born This Way, directed by Nick Knight, 2011 180

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