From runway to retail
At the time, this dress was presented, and portrayed in editorial in a long version. However, it was later marketed in a short version.
Although, as the name suggests, the ‘ready-to-wear’ garments meet this description, these collections are not exempt from going through changes or adaptations to edit some extravagances allowed for the sake of the show, and that would not be functional in another context. Another reason that can bring design variables is to offer more colour options for each garment.
The long version of this dress was part of a photoshoot shot by Thierry Mugler on the dome of the Opéra Garnier in Paris in 1986. The model who wore it during the photoshoot was Claude Heidemeyer, one of the designer’s muses, who also wore the dress nicknamed ‘Birth of Venus’ during the autumn/winter 1995 fashion show.
In October 2013, the French model and close friend of the designer Yves Saint Laurent, Danielle Luquet de Saint Germain, decided to auction 12,000 pieces from his fashion collection. Among these pieces was the long version of this dress, as can be seen in the photos taken at the press conference prior to the auction.
In addition to his success in fashion, Thierry Mugler left a significant mark on the fragrance industry, with his iconic fragrance ‘Angel’, launched in 1992, which became a global success. His creativity was not only limited to fashion, he also worked in the world of film, theatre and music, collaborating with artists such as David Bowie and Beyoncé. Despite his retirement from fashion design in the 2000s, his legacy lives on, and his influence lives on in the industry.
