Superstar musician Elton John is known for his flamboyant and extravagant stage costumes, especially those he wore during the early 1970s, when he collaborated with various designers to create iconic looks that reflected his unique style. A standout ensemble from 1971 is a beaded neon-satin patchwork tailcoat and trousers, possibly designed by Annet Murray (wife of his bandmate, Dee Murray). John can be seen in his dressing room wearing the jacket in a photograph (below) taken by Terry O’Neill. Continue reading Eye On Design: Elton John’s Neon Satin Patchwork Tailcoat and Trousers→
In 1988, film director John Waters created a new level of shock by making a family friendly, PG-rated movie. Set in 1962, two years before the Civil Rights Act, Hairspray centers on Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake), a self-identified “pleasantly plump” teenage girl, who attempts to racially integrate a teen dance show.
For all of you Queen Freaks and Freddie-o-philes out there, it is my pleasure to bring you another of Freddie Mercury’s stage costumes photographed by me at Sotheby’s when I was in London. This dazzling outfit, a Scarlet Sequined, short-legged one-piece stage suit, is a truly iconic and historic piece of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia and a testament to Freddie’s flamboyant style and unforgettable stage presence. Continue reading Eye On Design: Freddie Mercury’s Scarlet Sequined, One-Piece Stage Costume→
1.5 million cans of Heinz Baked Beans are sold every day in the UK. Australian comic Barry Humphries wore this Breakfast Dress (1997), by costume designer Stephen Adnitt for Dame Edna’s Work Experience, a TV series in which his alter ego Dame Edna Everage toured UK factories. Continue reading Eye On Design: Breakfast Dress By Stephen Adnitt→
My ongoing coverage of Sotheby’s auction exhibit, Freddie Mercury: A World His Own, would not be complete if I didn’t feature one of his possessions as a weekly Pink Thing. Presented here: Freddie’s Pink Suit worn in the 1987 video for “The Great Pretender.” The official auction catalog describes it as follows: Continue reading Pink Thing of The Day: Pink Silk Suit Worn by Freddie Mercury→
