Madonna celebrates 40 years of music (and iconic fashion, too): how the Queen of Pop influenced gene
Over the next three decades of her career, Madonna’s ability to become different versions of herself allowed her to transcend fashion barriers. It was these gigantic steps, rebelling against traditional outfits for women, that made her one of the most influential fashionistas of our time.
There is growing speculation that the “Queen of Pop” is working on a secret plan for a 40th anniversary tour, which is expected to kick off around September 2023, and will include dates at London’s O2 Arena, according to social media and tabloid buzz. The tour will, of course, pay homage to her time as a musician, but it will also be a chance for the pop icon to take us through her illustrious fashion moments.
Here are just some of her most memorable looks over the past four decades …
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The 80s: punk, leather and fishnet stockings
Punk fashion experienced a revival in the mid-80s: studded belts, Dr. Martens and leather skirts were all the rage. Moving away from the typical good-girl image, Madonna embraced a look with edge.
She sealed her name in the fashion books with her red carpet look at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards. British Vogue called the look “iconic”. In those days, Madonna had black roots with highlights and a beauty mark, and she embraced a bold red lip. Vanity Fair described the Madonna fashion period as a “raggedy-girl mixture of crucifixes and visible brassieres”.
Just a few years later, Madonna softened her punk look to something a bit sleeker. It was the first sign of reinvention from the musician. Her big reveal came when she released the music video for “Papa Don’t Preach”. Although she had short, bleached hair and was still decked in leather, there was a softer and more feminine side to her.
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The 90s: making history
It was the first night of Madonna’s Blonde Ambition tour in April 1990 that would become one of her most famous fashion moments. Held in Chiba, Japan, Madonna’s pink cone bra designed by Jean Paul Gaultier elevated her as a pop culture icon.Vogue reports the musician asked Gaultier to personally create costumes for her tour, saying she appreciated his humorous take on fashion.
The cone bra become a fashion sensation as it bent the rules of what a corset was meant to be. It was called a “gender-bending” garment and showed Madonna as a figure of authority. Her fashion messaging was clear because, at the time, there were calls to boycott her music. Grabbing her power through an item of clothing that is usually meant to be demure showed how fashion can be used to speak out and inspire change.The 90s also saw Madonna become a red-carpet regular. The award-winning singer and actress was a superstar and her appearance on the red carpet had the ability to spawn new trends.
In 1991, she created a stir when she attended the 63rd annual Academy Awards after-party with Michael Jackson. Madonna was wearing around US$20 million worth of Harry Winston diamonds. She wore a glamorous sleeveless shimmer dress with a sweetheart neckline and luxurious fur wrap, channelling Marilyn Monroe.
Also in 1991, Madonna had an unforgettable fashion moment after she wore a Dolce & Gabbana bustier on the red carpet. She was the at the premiere of her Truth or Dare documentary when she wore the bold outfit which showed off her slender frame. The look became iconic as she showed more skin on the red carpet then some people do on the beach.
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The 2000s: The corset, reimagined
In 2004, during her “Re-Invention Tour”, Madonna reignited the corset trend. She wore an embellished outfit that paid homage to several of her most famous looks. On her official website, Madonna confirmed that the corset, made by French designer Christian Lacroix, would be put on display in Paris.
She wore the corset during the American leg of her tour and variations of the corset during her worldwide tour. The look became an instant trend as she once again bent the rules of what the corset “should” be.
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The 2010s: Bowing down to a Queen
Madonna had more than 110 million fans across the world watching her every move as the performed at the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show. She wore three Givenchy Haute Couture outfits by Riccardo Tisci. The first one, with a crown and gold cape, was an instant hit with fans and cemented into the history books.
She also performed at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2019 and her style remained as bold as ever – a leather bodysuit with tulle sleeves, fishnet tights and thigh-high leather boots. She also wore a silver crown and a black eye patch with the letter X on it. Insider reports Madonna said the patch was a reference to a persona she created for her 14th studio album, Madame X.
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