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Watch the Mugler show live from Paris at 8pm UK Time

Join Mugler online this evening to watch their latest FW12 fashion show live from Paris. Before the show kicks off at 8pm (GMT, 9pm CET) watch the live streaming of "A Minute With Mugler"(5 to 7pm GMT) – Nicola’s friend Chris will ask a specially conceived questionnaire to 5 people backstage (models, make up team, hair team, design team, production) followed by the rehearsal and choreography at 8pm (GMT).

You can also join the conversation live on twitter by using the hash tags #Mugler, #pfw, #formichetti, #MuglerLive.

Enjoy the show!

'Marry the night' and Lady Gaga's influences
Screen caps, Style.com, Zimbio

You know I am a big fan of dissecting videos. Whether it's only the fashion like I did for one of Beyoncé's last videos or laying out visually where Gaga got inspiration from for her Alejandro video I simply can't resist making a collage about it.

My favourite Gaga video to date has to be the Judas video. I appreciated the breakthrough of Bad Romance (especially the plethora or McQueen) but Judas was culturally interesting. He cleverly mixed references to Catholicism mixed with nods to popular culture.

For Gaga's latest Marry the Night video Nicola Formichetti and his creative team have done something similar but perhaps not as risqué as before. An 80's Madonna is probably the strongest influence of this new video. Followed by Fame, the über popular TV programme from the same decade. The perfectly timed choreographies in odd layers of tops were pretty much brought into fashion by the show. My favourite look from the whole video is the Atelier Versace embroidered light denim combo that reads surprisingly current and sort of reminded me of this.

Some of the other dance scenes were more reminiscent of Michael Jackson's videos. The dancing in backstreets is in keeping with the general 80's aesthetic of the video.

The only more forward-thinking looks in the Marry the Night video are the music-less opening scenes, which weirdly enough I quite enjoyed, the ballet shots of Gaga in a very Daphne Guiness hairdo and heel-less platforms, and the closing shot of the Fame Monster in one of the Paco Rabanne looks she wore at the EMAs this year.

With every new Lady Gaga video I realise the reason why I love her is not quite her music. Her videos, on the other hand, and Nicola Formichetti's styling for them do really appeal to me. And I think, in terms of the clothes, the Judas video is the best one yet. Yes, even better than Bad Romance. Sorry, Lee.

I was fascinated by the contemporary take of the religious references. Because I grew up in a Catholic environment and it was easy for me to identify symbols such as the blue veil of the Inmaculate Conception and the Sacred Heart. Contrary to a lot of opinions online I thought Formichetti's work (especially the blue hood with the bandana) were edgy, controversial and full of life.

Jesus' look was extremely well achieved. It seems like Riccardo Tisci only designed his Givenchy version of the crown of thorns to be on this video. It also fit perfect well with the video's aesthetic that mixed the old and the new and very much reminded me of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. There are a lot of rock and roll and gritty elements, which were sort of contradictory yet not incongruent at all.

[Vevo]

The only reference I didn't quite understand was Gaga in white, as a sort of Mary Magdalene dressed like a gipsy bride. I simply don't get why she dies. But I guess not everything is supposed to be straight-forward.

I also really enjoyed the more scarce 18th century notes of ruffled sleeves and golden ringlets on her hair. Those bits really reminded me of 'Interview with the Vampire' and help increase the contrast between new and old fashion elements in the video.

And finally, the 'Birth of Venus'. It totally escapes me why this little scene was included in the video or how it adds to the story line but I can't say I don't like the nod to Botticelli.

To make sense of all my blabbering click here to watch the video, which would be a shame not to watch in the highest HD.

Born this way

Lady Gaga's music videos have become a bit of a thing inside the fashion/creative industry. We look forward to what Nicola Formichetti will do for her in terms of styling. I have to say that this time I was neither amazed nor surprised by the clothes. Yes, it all is incredibly visually pleasing but I think it has a lot more to do with Nick Knight's direction than with the clothes (accessories, hair, mae up et al.) than any other thing. I did really like the 'Born this way' video because not only I quite like the song but it also had some very McQueen references such as the kaleidoscope imagery, which Lee used for his prints in the famous collection worn by Gaga on 'Bad Romance'. I also found pretty cool the fact that Raquel Zimmerman (below, duplicated) does a little cameo.

My second favourite thing, and probably the most expected part of it was the heavy presence of Thierry Mugler fw11 menswear, as it was the first collection to be designed by Formichetti (he is clearly the creative director, not the designer. Alas, no one has yet coined a term such as 'creatively directed'). I thought it worked just great with the video and, after all, Nicola is becoming known for trespassing the boundaries of roles and becoming a bit of everything —stylist, creative director, entrepreneur, media expert. I was also happy to see Rico, who was the star of the Mugler fw11 show and kind of stole a bit of Gaga's spotlight on the video.

As I said, the photography in the video is absolutely phenomenal, as it could be expected from Knight. And this might just be me but were there some James Bond and Sin City references? I loved the black and white shots as much as the very plastic coloured ones and the intro and finale as a clear nod to Pink Floyd. You can watch the video here.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Vevo screencaps]

Alejandro: the old and the new

The hype around every one of Lady Gaga's videos grows with the release of each one. I Have to admit I always get a little excited to see them for the first time but this time it was different. I can't remember how long ago it was when I read that Steven Klein, my favourite photographer, was directing her 'Alejandro' video but ever since then I literally couldn't wait. I won't admit to the number of times I have watched it since yesterday but, believe me, you'd think me a freak.
Anyway, the Gaga and Klein combination very much delivered. The video is, visually, one of the best things I have seen in music in a very long time. The Klein aesthetic covers every single shot and light choice and mixes influences that Gaga and himself share as well the ones ever-present in all his work.

Gaga's first couple of outfits consist of a black cape (top picture) and a lace outfit both custom made Alexander McQueen pieces as well as a Philip Treacy for Alexander McQueen custom made hat. It is no secret Lady Gaga adores McQueen and we have often seen many of his pieces in her videos. This is brought to the maximum with Steven Klein, who was close to the designer (and Daphne Ginness) and who shot editorials (like the one above for W back in 2002) and adverts for him.

If you follow Klein, you'll know he is known for having a fixation with, among others, horses, Madonna, religion and sex. In 'Alejandro' the references to Madonna are endless. Gaga's "blasphemous" scenes from the video have so much in common with Madonna's 'Like a Prayer' video from 1989. crosses, rosaries and religious attire irreverently mixed with sex, custom made Atsuko Kudo (nun outfit), Hussein Chalayan (leather jacket) and custom made Jaiden RVA James (hooded dress).

'Alejandro' switches between Madonna eras mixing all the different aspects of the singers that characterise Gaga. Suddenly we're in the 'Vogue' video from 1990 where Gaga more literally replicates Madonna's black suit and famous (Gaultier) pointy bra. Once again, more genius styling from Mr. Formichetti -Dolce & Gabbana waistcoat, Fracesco Scognamiglio trousers, gun bra custom made by David Samuel Menkes and Calvin Klein underwear.

Again, the Steven Klein point of view is so present that many still shots of the video could very well be editorial pictures. The 'bed theme' has been such a recurrent one in his work, from Madonna's W editorial in 2002, to the Beckham's for the same magazine in 2007 or some of his more recent work. If you look at the 'bed dancing' scenes in 'Alejandro' you might even see some resemblance with Britney's 'Me Against the Music' video, a suggestion from Maddona?

Click here to enjoy the video in HQ. Here to go to Steven Klein's website. And here to check out Nicola Formichetti's blog.
I'm off.

PS. I really liked the Evandro Soldati cameo. Have a look at some of his work here.


[Credits: NicolaFormichetti.blogspot.com, Style.com, StevenKleinStudio.com. Screencaps from youtube videos.]

"rebirth of nature"

Nicola Formichetti is on a roll. His latest editorial for the very young yet professional Vogue Hommes Japan features key SS10 pieces from Givenchy, Chanel, Dunhill, Dior Homme, Giorgio Armani and Calvin Klein. What genius!

Photographer: Josh Olins

Fashion editor: Nicola Formichetti

[Pictures: Coute que Coute]

I'm off.

smoke gets in your eyes

Whatever the newspaper covers say, I don't care too much for Gaga smooching a girl in the lips, taping her bosom or forgetting her knickers at home. I do care, though, about the jaw-dropping work of Nicola Formichetti in every single one of her videos. Whether for or against Gaga it is undeniable that her association with the Japanese/Italian stylist and Dazed & Confused creative director is pushing the fashion envelope. Now, we are not sure where the envelope will end up. And, for the moment, we don't care.
The fascinating stub glasses that seem somewhat disturbing as they still steam. Perhaps a cliched metaphor?
Takes the whole concept of trashy chic to a complete, very literal level.
My favourite piece of clothing from the video —the black & white Thierry Mugler outfit.
I would have liked to see Beyonce fight the crazy 88 as Uma did.
I am still trying to understand the reason why this "Let's make a sandwich" bit is a part of the video. But I am really digging the latex dress and the fact that there's visual evidence of Gaga ingesting food.
Worst fringe and best eye-shadow.
One of the many Castelbajac from the video. Strikingly beautiful.

[Screen captures by moi from the Telephone video by Lady Gaga and Beyonce]

I'm off.