Mugler Autumn/Winter 2012-13, Paris Fashion Week

TWO Mugler angels took to the dark sports hall space this evening to begin the label’s show, one in which creative director Nicola Formichetti had wanted to return to the idea of the salon and had already broadcast pictures of it and its preparation across the internet in the week running up to the show – the idea being “fashion without frontiers”.
“I wanted to expand the idea of the salon, where people would be invited to drop by and discuss the collection with you,” he explained in the show notes. “I did not want it to be an elitist or secretive process,” he said, noting how he wanted people to “see the fun we have putting it together”.

Formichetti said he had taken inspiration from the idea of symmetry and graphic stylisation indicative of Asia, as well as looking to Thierry Mugler himself – the man who originally founded the house – and his 1997 Insects collection. And, with the models coming out two by two or just three and then a hoard of them, it was just as though we had uncovered a Mugler nest and these were the queen ants running the show.

Fringed and angular, it was less overt in the flesh and sexual stakes than his debut – in which Lady Gaga also took to the catwalk this time last year - and was more about the en-masse performance to enhance and convey this message of superhuman women.