Thierry Mugler – the Origins of the French Fashion Designer

Thierry Mugler is a French fashion designer who seems to have faded in fame since the 80’s. Where did this artist originate?

Mugler was born in Strasbourg, France, in 1948. His first career choice, though in the arts, was in the field of performance rather than design. He had made an attempt to become a ballet dancer before he moved to Paris in 1970. While he was working on his ballet however, he began fashioning clothing for friends of his. This may have prompted his choice to switch careers and become a window-dresser once he traveled to Paris. In 1978, Mugler purchased his first boutique in Paris. Later he would go on to acquire a factory in 1983 and from there launch a series of clothing lines and many wonderful fragrances that are still with us today.

Mugler began developing his own line of clothing shortly after he moved to Paris in 1970. It was a very distinctive style to say the least. Mugler pieces always focused on accentuating the curves and edges of the human body. The styles of clothing were always some-what far-out. Inspiration for Mugler’s different lines came from everywhere from the insect kingdom to film noir to robots. Because of the futuristic and “out there” look of Mugler’s lines of clothing he was exceptionally popular during the 1980’s during the punk and new wave movements. In 1984, Mugler became the first to ever hold a fashion show that was open to the general public in France. However, once the 1990’s came around, Mugler faded away from the world of fashion as the community lost taste in his bizarre and angled works.

Mugler realized his declining popularity and began to shift gears. In 1992, he began creating a line of perfumes which are still quite popular today. His first perfume, Angel, became the number one fragrance in France and reached number eight in the U.S. The list of Thierry Mugler perfumes includes: Angel, Angel Men, Innocent, Mugler Cologne, Angel Garden of Stars, Alien, Eau de Star, and Perfume: The Coffret. Mugler’s fragrances were the very first gourmand perfumes. He started a revolution with these perfumes in the world of fragrance.

The price of Mugler’s fragrances you ask? Well, the prices have quite a range. Through the official Thierry Mugler website you can order 1.7 ounce refillable bottles of Angel at $105.00, however, through EBay you can get the same deal, without the refill, for about $40.00. Most of the other products are also around the $100-$200 price range. Mugler’s clothing can be found on EBay at relatively reasonable prices. His more bizarre works however, require more connections to get a hold of and can easily go for thousands of dollars. And as for Mugler’s hair care products, these are at average prices which anyone can afford; these go for around $30-$70.

Mugler’s distinctive style was one that was short lived. It was seen as a glimpse of the future, but Mugler argued that it wasn’t “futuristic” but simply “modern”. He was said to never look for inspiration in the world and claimed that it had all come from him. He is quoted saying, “Intellect is the servant of the spirit.” He was a man who greatly influenced the world of contemporary fashion and the 1980’s. Furthermore, his work in the world of fragrances is still notable today, as he created an entire new type of perfumes with his gourmand fragrances. Mugler has left his mark on the fashion world, and who knows what more he can bring to the world? There is even talk of his return to the clothing industry in the coming years. Who knows what we’ll see next from this eccentric artist?