Punk, Goth, Sex: Fashion Mates Music

Punk was a music movement that ruled England in the 1970’s and 1980’s.  Malcolm McLaren managed the top bands of the era like the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls.  A former schoolteacher, McLaren’s new wife brought the punk movement to fashion by infusing clothes with safety pins, chains and bondage. She is now of course, British fashion icon Vivienne Westwood.

In the 1990’s, Jean-Paul Gaultier was the bad boy of the designer set with his bleached spiky hair and fetish-inspired outfit.  His cone cup bras were synonymous with Madonna’s dominance in that decade.  His fetish inspired looks mixed punk with nineties decadence.

Thierry Mugler and supermodels took over as the look of George Michael’s top hit, Too Funky.  Rock n’roll and fetish wear became the official uniform of the song.  The designer himself directed the video with a runway filled with motorcycle bustiers, latex catsuits and metalized bodysuits.

Punk gave way to grunge.  Marc Jacobs became a household name more for his firing from Perry Ellis before succeeding with his own label.  Thrift stores were plundered for Doc Martens and old plaid shirts when alternative bands like Nirvana dominated MTV.

Punk fashion took on Goth, mixing fetish elements and corsetry.  Lady Gaga’s quick pop icon status owed a lot to the unforgettable fashion statements she made in every public appearance.  Her longtime collaborator, Nicola Formichetti went on to be appointed as creative director to fashion house Thierry Mugler, a perfect fit.  With fresh meat dresses, cross dressing and body modification, Lady Gaga brought a whole new level to anarchy when it came to busting fashion taboos.  That is more punk in attitude than a bunch of safety pins will ever be. 

Need a soundtrack for YOUR personal runway? 
Listen and Download the exclusive Nina Sky track for ORGNL.TV by Stoli!

Does Nina Sky think musicians influence fashion today?  

" Majorly, people love to listen to music and keep up with their favorite artists, from their latest videos to what they're wearing... So of course it would influence fashion trends. Also, music inspires creativity and fashion designers are artists in their own right. I think the music they listen to ultimately helps set the tone and theme of their collections."

Sponsored by Stoli. Savor Stoli Responsibly. STOLICHNAYA® Premium Vodka. 40% Alc/Vol. Distilled from grain. William Grant & Sons, Inc. New York, NY. © 2012 Spirits International, B.V

Photos from billyidol.net, Herb Ritts, Mike Southon,

Read more >>

Gaga for Mugler Fall 2011

Were you waiting to feel too funky again? Or am I just dating myself?  I miss Thierry Mugler’s hyper-sexualized fashion rocking the runway.  Lady Gaga’s longtime fashion collaborator Nichola Formichetti was appointed creative director to the Mugler brand and brought it back to the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week.

The show was a mix of Gothic fetish evolved from the slick spirit of classic Mugler.  The backdrop was a stage of pointed cathedral arches.  Formichetti showed alien-like exaggerated shoulders, a signature look of Lady Gaga’s.  Latex-shiny fabrics, dramatic cut-outs and transparent garments that left nothing to the imagination somehow managed to look chic (over trashy).  The muse, Gaga, brought much of the paparazzi with her as she debuted new singles and strutted her body down the runway.  Also haunting the runway was performance artist “Zombie Boy”, famous for corpse-like tattoos added to the other-worldly theme.

This was the multi-media fashion spectacle of 2011.  A mix of music, video, art and fans madly tweeting is not the show of the future, it’s the mode of today.

  Photos by Giovanni Giannoni

Read more >>