LONDON RUNWAY
THE DARK LADY’S WARDROBE Em Poncia dives into the eccentric wardrobe of the multi-talented and forever iconic Cher. From the inception of her illustrious career, Cher has been known for her outlandish and dazzling style. Throughout the decades, it is clear that she has struck the perfect balance between of-the-moment trends and her own uniqueness, culminating in an iconic fashion oeuvre. The decade of flower power and bohemianism was the one during which Cher burst onto the music scene. Her debut album All I Really Want to Do reached number 16 on the Billboard 200. She was known for her matching
outfits with then-husband Sonny Bono, with whom she released several songs. One 1968 portrait session had the two posed in fur jackets, and they often matched one another in public. Whatever Cher did, she did over the top. As well as winning multiple music awards, including the Billboard icon award, she was a TV and film star. She had The Sonny and Cher Show with her husband for a whole decade, as well as winning an Oscar for her acting in Moonstruck in 1986. This theme of excess spilled over into her wardrobe, showcasing some of the most outlandish fashion moments of the 20th century, whether that was at
award shows or in portrait sessions that took place in her own home. Cher arrived to the 1974 Met Gala dazzling in a sheer gown where the only covering offered were small sequins in traversing patterns, with sleeves and legs that billowed into plumes of white feathers at the end. This look defined the Met Gala that year, inspiring the ‘naked gown’ trend of decades later, most famously seen on Kim Kardashian in 2022. Throughout her career, Cher worked very closely with designer Bob Mackie, whom she had met on the set of The Carol Burnett Show, when she appeared
