Manfred Thierry Mugler, the celebrity-favorite fashion designer behind his eponymous line, has died. He was 73. His cause of death was not readily available.
The French designer’s team announced Mugler’s passing Sunday, sharing a black square to his personal Instagram profile with the tragic news, which was written in both English and French. “We are devastated to announce the passing of Mr Manfred Thierry Mugler on Sunday January 23rd 2022. May his soul Rest In Peace,” the caption read.
The announcement was met with shock and grief in the comments section. “So sad. Mr Mugler was a genius,” wrote actress Jennifer Tilly. “I cannot believe this is true sending love to you all. Thierry was a force of creativity and kindness,” Georgia May Jagger commented.
Born Dec. 21, 1948, in Strasbourg, France, Mugler began designing in the 1970s. He eventually became known for his dramatic, structured, avant-garde designs, often with large, emphasized shoulders. During his hey day, his runway shows often included iconic looks from supermodels like Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford, and were the place to see and be seen. He retired from fashion in 2002 before Clarins shuttered his ready-to-wear brand the next year, yet the iconic designer remained a staple in the world of fashion. The brand was relaunched in 2010 as Mugler, which is currently under the creative direction of designer Casey Cadwallader.
After 2003, Mugler came out of his “retirement” on a few occasions, collaborating with mega stars, especially in the world of music. He frequently dressed Beyoncé, who wore Mugler looks during her 2009 tour and during the On The Run II tour in 2018, helping define the superstar’s iconic and bold aesthetic. Beyoncé and daughter Blue Ivy both also wore custom Mugler in her 2020 feature Black is King. Beyoncé also wore a Mugler bodysuit on her 2020 cover of British Vogue. After the news of Mugler’s passing broke, Beyoncé shared photos of some of her Mugler looks on her website, writing, “Rest in Peace.”
Widely beloved and influential in the world of fashion, Mugler’s influence on pop culture was widespread. One of his most famous designs was the dress Demi Moore wore in 1993’s Indecent Proposal. David Bowie wore a Mugler dress on Saturday Night Live in 1979. Diana Ross also walked in several Mugler shows and was frequently dressed by the designer. Mugler also anonymously directed the video for George Michael’s song “Too Funky” and created stage costumes for Ross, Michael, and Bowie.
More recently, Lady Gaga wore a vintage Mugler outfit in the 2010 “Telephone” video, and, at the 2011 Grammys, exited an egg wearing a Mugler dress. Cardi B, Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and Katy Perry have all worn outfits from the Mugler archives in recent years. After being a fan and wearing his designs many times, in 2019, he designed the “wet” dress Kim Kardashian wore to the Met Gala, inspired by Sophia Loren in Boy on a Dolphin. “He always, it’s a full vision from, you know, hair to nails to everything,” Kardashian, 41, told PEOPLE of Mugler in 2019. “His runway shows were the most legendary and iconic runway shows ever.”
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