Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld in 1991
Music is an art form with a stage presence that has connected it to costumes and fashion. Rock, punk, glam and country western are all recognized styles. Hip Hop is a subculture of both music and style. In “Great Aspirations: Hip Hop and Fashion Dress for Excess and Success,” Emil Wilbeki begins by explaining that Hip Hop was first resistant to fashion and then slowly became consumed with status. Rap stars began to align with American Dream of excess. The clothing style varied from track suits to prep.
Run DMC, late 80's
Isaac Mizrahi saw his elevator operator with a gold chain and repeated the look in the late 1980’s, supporting “homeboy chic.” Karl Lagerfeld used padlocks, similar to Treach by Naughty Nature. Russell Simmons, Sean Combs and Master P started clothing lines. Simmons coined the phrase “ghetto fabulous” mixing the sexuality of the styles of Versace, Fendi and Dolce & Gabbana to create Phat Farm. Combs partnered with Zac Posen. Norma Kamali below styled Chaka Khan’s “I Feel for You,” video with stretch jersey.
Kamali
Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis 1992 in Vogue
Malcolm Barnard, in his essay, “Fashion, Art, Performance, Masquerade,” explains that fashion is associated with concepts of identity, beauty, performance, spectacle and masquerade: “Identity may now be thought of as an ongoing performance which is immediately undermined as the appearance of authentic identity and with all the theatrical and spectacular connotations that accompany the idea.” He describes David Bowie as “Ziggy Stardust” as “mixing fashion, art, performance and spectacle.”
New Zealand musicians Flight of the Conchords included a segment of Bowie in his "outer space years," above. The Conchords work with a French costume designer Rahel Afiley and have created a video called "Fashion is Danger." Images below from V Magazine 50 "Greatest Hits."
Fashion, Fa-fa-fa-faashion
St-st-style
Lo-lo-lo-lo-look look look
I'm the edge, I'm the chic, I'm the taste,
I'm larger than life with just a hint of lace
I'm the vanguard, I'm the air, I'm the vogue
I'm the shi-shi, ooh oui-i, I'm the man a la mode
P-p-p-p-p-president Reagan
Thatcher Th-Th-Thatcher
Jazzercise!
L-L-L-Lipgloss,
Ooh-ooh-ooh!
Posing, Posing at the bar
Posing, Posing sitting down
Posing, Posing in the distance
Posing, Posing with my arm
Posing, Posing with my leg
Posing, Posing like a swan
Posing, Posing for a portrait
Posing a threat
You think you know fashion
Well, fashion's a stranger
You think fashion's your friend
My friend, fashion is danger
Moscow, Berlin, Paris, London
Tokyo, Wellington, Rome, Geneva
New York City
New-New-New-New York City
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