American singer-songwriterMadonna has been considered afashion and style icon byfashion journalism and other sectors. Fashion critics, designers, and scholars have examined her influence in fashion from different stages, defining views on her public image and cultural significance. Her connection with the community was once labeled asymbiotic relationship, while her industry ventures include owningfashion brands and appearing atevents such as theMet Gala.
Madonna has collaborated with an array of people from the community, including designers, photographers and stylists. She became amuse for many of them, and during theMTV Generation, her in-depth involved collaborative friendships were credited with making routine collaborations between artists and designers, and for helping reinforce the connection with thefashion and music industries further than before for different reasons. Madonna was also credited with boosting the careers of various designers, including then-emerging to as well-established ones. Some people from the industry have cited Madonna as a career influence. She became the first musician on the covers ofThe Big Four, and underAnna Wintour's control, Madonna became her first musical artist to grace aVogue cover in1989 after a notable time with a focus on fashionmodels.
Over decades, Madonna set various trends, and aspects of her styles, looks, and clothing influenced public, designers and other entertainers of different generations. Madonna's photoshoots and personal belongings have been displayed in museums and other exhibitions around the world. Unconventional compared to enduring glamorous icons, others have noted a significant absence ofhigh fashion discussions. Madonna appeared on industry lists of the best and worst dresses. She also earned a reputation as a fashion provocateur, receiving criticisms from the religious sector, and from other organizations. Her provocative fashion statements, mixed withshock value received further criticism as she aged. Madonna has been also included in a number of all-time lists focused on musicians or individuals' fashion impact, includingTime's All-TIME 100 Fashion Icons, Style and Design (2012). In her prime bothVogue andKarl Lagerfeld named her the "single greatest fashion influence in the world", whileJean-Paul Gaultier called her "the biggest fashion icon" in early 2010s. Madonna received variousawards for her fashion, including the first Versace Award fromVH1 Fashion Awards in 1998.
Many authors have traced Madonna's relationship with fashion back to her childhood. Without realizing it, her father influenced her fashion awareness with thedress code imposed in her strict Catholic upbringing, seeing "how potent a certain way of dress could be".[3] Some have pointed out that Madonna saw clothes as a tool of rebellion from early on.[4]Mary Cross described that after losing her mother, she "deliberately wore mismatched socks and clothes" as she refused to wear the identical outfits in which housekeeper-turned-stepmother Joan Gustafson liked to dress them.[4] She continued to express herself through fashion as a student, without shaving her underarms and not wearing make-up.[4]Mark Bego felt she "pioneered" new ways to get noticed on the school playground with her style and attitude.[5]
[Madonna] forged a symbiotic relationship with the fashion community the moment she burst onto the scene in the '80s, setting trends and playingmuse to countless designers.
In 2014, associate professor José Blanco wrote thatfashion critics,designers and scholars have examined her influence in fashion.[7] In 2018, Louise Gray ofi-D held that she "has come under scrutiny for her outfits over the best part of four decades".[8] Some reviewers have credited her sense of style and its evolution, as a key to her "significance" and "success", including an editor fromImage in 2018.[9][10] In addition, Madonna was called afashion icon, as well a fashion idol,influencer or style icon.[11][12][13][14][15] In 2005, scholarCamille Paglia described "she has become a fashion icon more than a music pioneer".[16]
Her relationship with fashion industry was described as "symbiotic" by publications includingVogue.[6][17] In early 2000s, American costume designerArianne Phillips referred to the "unique relationship Madonna has with fashion and fashion has with Madonna".[18]
Madonna's usage and development of her fashion sense both on and off-stage have been discussed. InOh Fashion (1994) by professorsShari Benstock and Suzanne Ferriss, it was referred that fashion is something "inseparable from heraesthetic practices", and this includes several "cultural interventions" such as hermusic videos,films, TV appearances orconcerts in order to cultivate her image.[20] Writing forThe Journal of Popular Culture in 2015, scholar José Blanco considered she uses clothes as a "cultural signifier to communicate her personadu jour".[7]
For many, her looks and style were "at the center" of her staging and creative performances.[21] While working with Madonna, costume designerMarlene Stewart commented in 1990, that for costumes the singer thinks in terms of story and character.[3]Arianne Phillips also remarked on her "ability to create characters and tell a story through costumes".[22] An observer also stated that she has extensively explored the roles she wishes to play when she grows up through clothing ever since.[4] In 1997,New York magazine called her self-exploration through fashion as "unprecendented" which mixes elements and explores "Western cultural history".[23] Writing forVogue in 2023,Christian Allaire acknowledged her "fashion eras" and said like a "true artist", she sees what she wears as trueperformance art.[24] Madonna referred to fashion sense in various settings; in 2007, she told the press: "I've made no secret of my love for fashion and trends".[25] Laura Tortora fromVogue Italia felt how her interview withJ. Randy Taraborrelli in 1983, reveals she was "aware" of her "great potential" which prompted to conclude she would make a legacy, not only in music, but also in "the history of costume".[26]
.jpg)
.jpg)
_(53270771018)_(cropped).jpg)
The evolution of her styles and looks have been "documented through the years".[27] It was described as an "expansive catalogue of looks".[4] Erin Skarda fromTime once praised her "control of her look[s]".[15][28] By 1990, Stewart gives Madonna almost full credit for "creating" her clothing style.[3] French fashion magazineCrash said that she is known for having "extravagant taste" when it comes to style on stage.[29]
Justyna Stępień from theUniversity of Łódź described her work and style as a representation of theCamp-Lite phenomenon.[30]J. Randy Taraborrelli wrote thatreligious symbols became a crucial part of her fashion.[31] Sydney Nowak ofKOST noted she brings a tinge ofgrunge to various outfits.[32] She wore long dresses several times in the mid-1990s.[26] Among the different aesthetics explored by Madonna, arecowgirl,ghetto fabulous, military, masculine pieces and androgynous imagery.[33] She has also sportedthrift shop looks,[34] andhigh fashion.[35] In early 2020s,Vogue noted her off-stage aesthetic of "dirtbag-chic" style.[36] She has also paid tribute through clothes to other women such asMarilyn Monroe,Marie Antoinette andEva Perón.[34][37]
_2.jpg)
Madonna attended to variousMet Gala, with her first being in 1997.[39] She also participated in a number offashion runways, includingJean-Paul Gaultier's 1992amfAR runway where it showed atopless Madonna; the staff ofBillboard included that moment among "the most iconic moments in the history of fashion, music or breasts".[40] She closed the Gaultier 1995 Spring Collection, wearing a slip dress and pushing an antique baby carriage from which she lifted a young pup.[41] Back in 1992, Madonna participated in aDolce and Gabbana runway show, and American fashion historianValerie Steele considered it publicized their friendship.[42]
Fashion connotations of her works have been addressed. In 2011, Thomas R. Harrison, an associate professor atJacksonville University, wrote "Vogue" showcased her "knowledge" of the professional fashion industry.[44] For Allison Berry fromTime magazine, this single is perhaps "the most fashion song of all time"; Berry also noted that with thespoken wordStrike a Pose she pays tribute to fashion icons of Hollywood.[38] British authorLucy O'Brien noticed that "Dress You Up" uses fashion as a metaphor, as is sung "by a woman clearly addicted to clothes".[45] The video of "American Life" was seen as a reflection ofanti-fashion industry statements.[46]
Madonna toldKim Kardashian during the premiere of her documentary filmMadame X (2021) that she has preserved many of her outfits and her fashion archive is located in Brooklyn.[47] In 2013, Madonna hand-picked pieces from her fashion archives, and contributed toMadonna's Fashion Evolutions, apop-up exhibition on the history of fashion archival at Macy's curated and styled by Arianne Phillips. The singer declared: "... exhibition will give my fans a great opportunity to see the evolution of my style over the years".[48]
The Queen of Pop is known for creating fashion moments that were either full of controversial matter or pushed the needle forward when it comes to the conversation of fashion.
Authors ofThe 1980s (2007), suggested "Madonna's influence on fashion eclipsed her music".[50] Back in 1990, Barbara Foley fromLos Angeles Times, held she received better commentaries for her fashion sense than any of her other roles.[3]
Madonna built a reputation as a fashion provocateur, as Megan Friedman fromElle noted in 2016, she has "spent decades wearing outrageous outfits and stoking controversy".[51]Bimini Bon Boulash noted and referred to the "countless articles" on Google's results for her "most shocking outfits of all time".[52] American criticChristopher Glazek also commented that her costume changes "attracted harassment from tabloid moralists".[53] It intensified while aging.[51][53] InToo Much (2020), author said "Madonna is perhaps the most famous example of a woman rigorously censured for dressing provocatively".[54] Madonna also received criticism for herreligious-mixed fashion,[55] and at some stage of her career from animal rights groups likePETA, including in 2006 and 2007.[56][57] In 2004, rabbiShmuley Boteach criticized Madonna for helping create a "tragic world" among American adolescent girls with her fashion.[58]
| External image | |
|---|---|
 Jean-Paul Gaultier dressed Madonna witha bra that exposed her nipples in front of a 6,000-person audience in 1992. It's considered one of her most controversial looks.[59] |
Friedman, however, commenting about her "too-revealing" outfits as an aged woman, opined is how Madonna is, so some "shock value" is to be expected.[51] For Lauren Alexis Fisher ofHarper's Bazaar, she "mastered the art of shocking people through fashion".[60] In 2022, Jacorey Moon from Yahoo similarly agree that she always creates eye-catching fashion moments.[49] To Laura Craik ofThe Daily Telegraph, Madonna has been "brazen and unapologetic", but found it paved the way for a host of female performers to take to the stage wearing liberating, provocative costumes that defined their sexuality on their own terms.[61] On the other hand, Pamela Church Gibson ofLondon College of Fashion noted a significant absence of academic discussion around her figure within the pantheon ofhigh fashion.[62]
Madonna has been included in media polls for worst and best dressed over the years. She was simultaneously included in both categories ofRolling Stone's annual polls in 1985,[63] and inSpin's first annual readers poll in 1989, where she was ranked first in both categories. The magazine staff declared: "Madonna: Breaking down the boundaries of good and bad taste".[64] In 1999,Vogue included her in the 100 Best Dressed List,[65] while she tied withCher onPeople's Hall of Fame of the worsts dressed, with seven appearance each until 2004.[66] She also appeared atRichard Blackwell's Worst Dressed list (created in 1960), topping the 1992 list, and with fashion critic referring to her a "bare-bottomed bore of Babylon".[67] For particular events, she was also ranked in media polls, including among the worst dressed during the 2016 Met Gala, which she defined as a fashion political statement.[68]
_(cropped).jpg)
.png)
She became the face of variousfashion campaigns and a muse to other designers.[6] In 2021,Euronews/Reuters noted her collaborations within different designer labels in her "lengthy career".[47] According toWomen's Wear Daily, then-rumored featuring costume pieces from 14 designers atRe-Invention World Tour would represent an "industry record".[18]
Regarding her long-time collaborative friendship with Gaultier, fashion journalistTim Blanks retrospectively called the duo as "the quintessential rock star-fashion designer relationship" with a "mutually beneficial connection".[4] Tom Rasmussen fromDazed stated in 2018: "Gaultier and Madonna made each other in so many ways. She gave him international notoriety, while he gave her cone-shaped breasts".[69] Paloma Herce ofHarper's Bazaar goes on to say that the singer-designertandem had never made more sense with them.[70]
[Madonna has] boosting the careers of established as well as up-and-coming designers. In short, she dominated the fashion world as well as the pop world.
Publications and authors noted and discussed how Madonna impacted various designers' careers during the height of career. In 2018, Mexican newspaperEl Universal credited her for boosting the career of "several" then-emerging designers likeOlivier Theyskens, as well how others fromTom Ford toRick Owens, "benefited" from dressing her.[72] Other publications have endorsed same or other examples, including Gaultier.[13][71][73] With regard to Theyskens,Fashion magazine stated in 2019 that she essentially put him "on the map".[74][39]Arianne Phillips toldDaphne Merkin in 2011, "she's eclipsed my career".[22] In sum, Laura Craik fromThe Daily Telegraph commented in 2018, that Madonna's patronage was guaranteed to catapult designers to the next level, whether they were a fledgling designer or a well-established one.[61]
.jpg)
Madonna also impacted some fashion house' brands.Dolce & Gabbana "received their first international recognition thanks" to Madonna, according to independent scholar Juliana Tzvetkova,[75] and author Brian Moeran wrote inThe Magic of Fashion (2016), that she "catapulted the designer duo into the limelight".[76] They said about her: "Madonna has always been our icon. It’s thanks to her that a lot of things in our lives changed".[77] InHouse of Versace (2010), Deborah Ball discussed Madonna's impact onVersace, saying the 1995 ads featuring her were "breakthrough", creating an association between the house and celebrities that garnered endless press coverage. After Madonna, Ball comments,Donatella drafted one celebrity after another.[78] Nikolay Anguelov from theUniversity of Massachusetts, made a similar observation, saying that whenGianni hired Madonna for their 1995 campaign, it was a time when the employment of celebrities as models was not common, and thereafter it became not only common, but preferred.[79] Others have addressed Madonna's impact on brands such asChloé andGucci.[13][17] Madonna helped gave hype in her generation to brand shoes from designers such asManolo Blahnik,[80] andChristian Louboutin.[81]
She has had relationships with models such asTony Ward andJesus Luz, which have benefited their careers.[82][83] Andy Lecompte, herhairstylist, toldRefinery29 about the benefits of working with Madonna in his career.[84]
Women's Wear Daily's Kristopher Fraser recalls examples previous Madonna of singer/designer relationship and fashion houses, but noted "Madonna is widely credited with transforming" it.[85] One of them, is Marissa Muller fromMTV who commented that before artists and brand collaborations were an every news item, Madonna was "bridging the worlds of music and fashion" with these alliances.[86] Although there were precursors, the same editor writing forW credited her as the first artist to make collaborations between designers "routine".[87]
British cultural historianStephen Gundle gone further claiming that Madonna's collaborations with fashion designers "inspired a whole series of developments in popular music and entertainment", further saying that "new synergies occurred between different sectors".[88] Jacob Bernstein fromThe New York Times made similar connotations, stating that Madonna opened a "standard operating procedure" but with stylists. He noted how a new generation of singers and actresses gotstylists of their own, even ranked annually byThe Hollywood Reporter.[89]
Aside from fashion designers, Madonna has closely worked with variousfashion,fine-art photographers andportraits. Photographic criticVince Aletti described it as "rich creative relationships".[90] InMadonna: Like an Icon (2007),Lucy O'Brien described how various of them used Madonna as their muse.[91] Before fame, she worked as anude model inart schools for photographers such asMartin Schreiber andLee Friedlander.[92] She also forged collaborative friendships with directors and videomakers.[93]
To Aletti, "photographic image has been at the forefront of Madonna's rise to iconic status".[90] He said, Madonna doesn't merely pose for photographers likeHerb Ritts,Steven Meisel andMario Testino, she explicitly collaborates in the process.[94] For French academic Georges-Claude Guilbert, after Madonna, the possibilities offered by the global village were never so "astutely exploited".[95] She was regarded as one of the most photographed women in her generation,[95] with at some point, sources likeThe British Journal of Photography in 2006, called her as perhaps "the most photographed woman in the world".[96][97]
Many of Madonna's photoshoots have been displayed inarts festivals,pop-up exhibitions, galleries and other multimedia exhibitions around the world.[98] In early 1990s, media scholar David Tetzlaff noted how many of her photos were labeled as "art".[98] Madonna's image has been displayed at theNational Portrait Gallery, United States by photographs taken byFrancesco Scavullo,Kate Simon and Jeri Heiden,[99][100][101] and is represented in theNational Portrait Gallery, London by five photographs—two byEric Watson and Testino each and one by Dafydd Jones.[102]
Some examples in the 21st century include Schreibers' Madonna nude photos as part of the 2009Brighton Fringe festival.[92] They also went on display at the Australian Color Factory in 2016 under the titleThe Madonna Nudes II, as well as the 2022Isetan exhibitionStar Portrait: Young Marilyn and Madonna.[103][104]Richard Corman installedMadonna – A Transformational Exhibition in 2013, which was a multimedia tour of Madonna's photographs taken by himself and displayed atW Hotels across the world.[105][106]
In 2016, a Spanish exhibition namedMadonna. El nacimiento de un mito was on display featuring her photos taken by Deborah Feingol,Peter Cunningham and George DuBose.[107][108] The 50-photo exhibition was presented at cultural centerLa Térmica, and it included two videos from two artists, an artwork bySilvia Prada, and an installation where the audience "can be Madonna".[108] In 2022, Japanese photographer Kenji Wakasugi exhibitedMadonna - 1985 par Kenji Wakasugi at Galerie de l'Instant in France.[109] In September 2023, Italian photographic duo,Luigi & Iango exhibited "Unveiled" at theRoyal Palace of Milan, having many photos of celebrities and with an entire room dedicated to Madonna.[110]
Madonna has a long history with film. It's not her acting career that distinguishes the pop star, but her uncanny ability to spot up-and-coming directors before they've hit it big.
A number of publications and photographers (and directors) themselves commented on the impact of Madonna on their careers, with authors Howie Singer and Bill Rosenblatt commenting she gave them "a higher profile and bigger budget opportunities".[112]
In 2004, fashion journalistKatie Grand noted constant references of Madonna in the works ofMert and Marcus.[113]Mario Testino stated he became known outside of his business.[114] In a conversation withNigel Farndale, he further explained that she was the first non-model to collaborate with him and credited: "With her I knew I had discovered my style".[115]
RegardingSteven Meisel, an author described his photographs of Madonna "put him in the public eye and increased his popularity".[116] The photographer himself credited her when shoot "The Beast Within" in 2004: "Now it's commonplace, but at that time, shooting film and stills simultaneously was kind of unexpected. Madonna pushed me to do that, in a way, because she would never really give me more than one day to do anything. I owe her my film career, in that sense".[117] Similarly, Madonna persuadedHerb Ritts to make hisvideography debut, and finally directed her video "Cherish".[118] Ritts toldAmerican Photo in 1989, "I don't know the first thing about video", admits, "but Madonna kept hounding me to do one for her, so I figured I'd give it a try".[119] Portuguese-born Paris-based fashion photographer, Ricardo Gomes, became a frequent collaborator since 2019, and credited the singer to push him.[120]
Madonna also made an impact in the industry with hermagazine covers as acover/pin-up girl. American pop culture editorMatthew Rettenmund opined that she "made the act of being on the cover of a magazine into anart form" taking her covers "seriously".[121] InHollywood Goes Shopping (2000),David Desser and Garth Jowett commented that she exploited the "model-like" look variegation.[122] In 2021, aVogue editor proclaimed in a headline that "she still as the ultimateVogue cover star".[6] In 2020, Charlie Gowans-Eglinton, fashion editor ofThe New Zealand Herald reflected about her early influence naming her a "poster girl", while acknowledges her continued presence on magazine covers as an aged pop star.[1]
Madonna has achieved various feats in the sector. She is the first femaleentrepreneur to grace aForbes cover according to themselves.[123] Madonna became the inaugural cover for publications such asSpin (1985), Greek magazinePop Corn (1985) andShock from Colombia (1995).[124][125][126] She was also the inaugural cover girl ofGlamour'sWomen of the Year issues.[127] It's believed that Gaultier was the first designer to be featured on a magazine cover when he appeared onGlamour along with Madonna in 1990, according to an article from Madonna's official website.[128]
UnderAnna Wintour's control, she became her first singer to bepictured on the cover ofVogue, marked after a notable focus on models.[129] Madonna also became the first singer to grace the covers ofThe Big Four and the only one untilRihanna matched this in 2021.[130] In 2021, Madonna was the inaugural issue forL'Officiel Ibiza.[131] About this collaboration, the magazine commented: "This project was born to pay a tribute to a contemporary icon who has defined, influenced and informed today's culture and aesthetics through her music and style".[131] In 2022, Madonna was part of the first-everNFT magazine covers designed by an NFT artist afterBillboard partnership with World of Women.[132] In January 2023, Madonna made the inaugural cover forVanity Fair's European special issues "Icon" that cover their Italian, French and Spanish editions.[133] The annual issue was made to celebrate the stars who "contribute[s] to shape the modern culture".[134]
Madonna also appeared more than any other person on the covers ofInterview andVanity Fair.[135][136] She is the international female artist with most cover appearances in Spanish magazineShangay (8).[137] Madonna is the female artist with the mostcover appearances onRolling Stone either alone or including "collage" photoshoots, according to themselves.[138][139] She was also the first female figure on a cover for their special issues "Collectors edition".[140] As of 2009, Madonna was the 10th person with mostPeople cover magazines (13).[141]
.webp)
Though there existed magazines likeHarper's Bazaar featuring movie stars on their covers (including Madonna back in1988),[142] as well other musicians donned magazines covers long before her, South African websiteNews24, explained that it may be "hard to believe", but there was a time when models preferably donned the covers ofglossy magazines while celebrities/singers made their appearance on the pages inside. This was regarded as the norm, until Anna Wintour arrived atVogue and put Madonna on the cover ofVogue, instead of a model, the website concludes.[143] That decision was predicted to be a failure and received criticism from journals likeThe New York Times, according toEl País.[142] Wintour herself, declared that having Madonna was considered controversial at that time.[129] Back in 1999,Alex Kuczynski fromThe New York Times dedicated an article where it was discussed how celebrities were changing the old-time-focus of models onwomen's magazine covers, including commentaries made by Wintour andAllure's founderLinda Wells.[144]
El País explained that most of those magazines, includingVogue, began shifting more to young readers and Wintour was also trying to put Madonna to show the variety of where fashion comes from and reflect what is happening in the culture.[142] In the process, as notedNew York magazine in 1999, Wintour received criticisms for madeVogue "too commercial", but they also found various of these magazines increased their circulation print.[145] Editor Ben Widdicombe explained that fashion magazines of that time "provide a uniquely quantifiable gauge for the rise of celebrity influence" concluding that "everything changed" when Madonna appeared on the covers of British and AmericanVogue in 1989.[146]
Journalists fromHank Stuever (Washington Post) toEmily Nussbaum (New York) have elaborated articles highlighting her magazine covers.[147][148] Rettenmund also created alisticle forLogo TV in 2018, and in 2014 for his own blog, BoyCulture, of her greatest and essential magazine covers, respectively.[149][121]Jann S. Wenner included her in the bookRolling Stone 50 Years of Covers (2018).[150]
Over the course of various decades, Madonna earned a reputation as a fashion trendsetter. InHollywood Goes Shopping (2000),David Desser and Garth Jowett named her a "perpetual fashion" trendsetter.[122] The reputation drastically changed turning the 21st century, although editors from some fashion magazines includingBritishVogue,Elle and AmericanVogue referred she continued to hold the status.[152][153][24] In 2000, American fashion scholarHarold Koda explained her effect on public, saying she helped garments enter into "cultural consciousness".[13] The same year, Kal Ruttenstein fromBloomingdale's describes that her influence "validates".[13] In 1990, fashion editorRobin Givhan dedicated an article where explored how many followed her style, saying "It's the trickle-down effect that is so scary — the vast power that Madonna wields over the styles of the masses".[154]
There are few musical artists who can say they began their career by simultaneously igniting a whole new fashion craze, but it's precisely what the singer did back in 1983.
Multiple fashion magazines noted how some trends initiated or propelled by Madonna have either remained or emerged again years later. On this, an editor ofL'Officiel commented in 2020, that she marked "real periods".[21] In 2015,Harper's Bazaar also mentioned "she cemented looks that remain culturally significant today".[155] In 2021, Daisy Maldonado fromYahoo! described how she "catapulted trends we still wear today", prompting to add "world still following her trends".[156] The same year, Carmen Martínez Pita fromCosmopolitan explored trends propelled by Madonna that are still in use.[157] In 2023,Vanity Fair Italia analyzed Madonna's trends of a 40-year career through her hair, described as aHairpedia, saying some of them still being sported.[158]Design historian Jennifer Grayer Moore, delineates Madonna as a "catalyst for myriad long-lived fashion trends".[159]
Madonna was a conduit to propel some existing or previous accessories and styles, with fashion editorRobin Givhan commenting on the point, "although she's not the originator of such styles [...] she has brought them into the mainstream".[154] Therefore, credits includelingerie as daywear,[156] or popularizing thebustier fashion look.[161] A number of publications have cited Madonna as the catalyst for starting theunderwear as outerwear trend into the mainstream, including Givhan andVogue.[162][163][154] In 2015,Harper's Bazaar commented that "pop stars still swear by her underwear-worn-as-outerwear look".[155]
Madonna helped to propel theponytail style in her generation, as she wore a sky-high blonde ponytail during her Blond Ambition World Tour in 1990. An observer said: "I think that totally transformed how people saw the style, and absolutely launched its renaissance in fashion".[164] According to Beth Shapouri fromGlamour, Madonna's Blond Ambition ponytail is easily one of the most iconic hairstyles of all time.[165] InSociology (2013), authors explained she helped pioneered a new style of celebrity involvinggenderbending.[166]
Madonna also found impact using Asian fashion imagery in her early decades. AcademicsDouglas Kellner and Rhonda Hammer, concurred that "although Madonna did not initiate theIndian fashion accessories beauty", she did propel it into the public eye by attracting the attention of the worldwide media.[167] ProfessorChristopher Partridge, similarly observed that "since Madonna first put Indian cultural symbols on the global fashion map, henna, bindis and Indian sartorial designs have become part of the global culture". Partridge, further adds that Madonna "ensured the Hindu invasion of Western popular musical space and made South Asian popular culture globally visible".[168] Other authors like academic Madhulika S. Khandelwal, have cited Madonna as an important medium for popularizingmehndi (henna tattoos) in the 1990s.[169][170]
Shortly after her debut, Madonna inspired clothing and beauty products. Her forays would eventually include herown fashion brands by late 2000s. In mid-1980s, manufacturers, including a company called 1045 Park Avenue, began to produceMTV-inspired fashion with key aspects of Madonna looks at that time.[159] Fashion designerMaripol also ran a boutique in the East Village, New York City, called "Maripolitan" where some items were officially licensed by Madonna. Its selling and distribution was limited to the city.[159] Madonna signed a merchandising deal with a clothing manufacturer called Entertainers Merchandise Management Corp. and they operated under the name of Wazoo fashions. In turn, Wazoo distributed official Madonna clothes to department stores across the country, includingBullock's andMerry-Go-Round stores in shopping malls.[171] In 1985,Macy's opened up the department store "Madonnaland" selling clothes modeled after Madonna's style.[172] Many other retailers followed suit.[173] The release of the movieEvita (1996), inspired clothing and accessories bySalvatore Ferragamo, cosmetics fromEstée Lauder, and clothing in nineBloomingdale's shops.[174]
Threelipsticks have been created for Madonna.Laura Mercier created the lipstick "M" for her filmEvita (1996).[175] The singer gave Mercier permission to market the shade as "Madonna Lip Color" becoming the first time she has allowed her name to be attached to a cosmetic product.[176][177]Make Up For Ever and make-up artist Gina Brooke created the "Aqua Rogue/Iconic Red" (shade #8) for Madonna to wear on herMDNA Tour in 2012,[178] embraced by celebrities likeTaylor Swift according toElle.[179]Poppy King believes that Madonna "ushered red lipstick back in as a symbol of strength" and of "glamorous rebellion".[180]
Russian Red (MAC Cosmetics): The "Russian Red" is the lipstick created byMAC Cosmetics, to wear on herBlond Ambition World Tour in 1990.[181]Joanne Gair called it the bespoke MAC shade.[182] The singer is credited with making it popular,[183] and an editor extensively explored how it made an impact for the Canadian brand.[184] According to various fashion-targeted magazines in the 2010s and 2020s, it went to become a bestseller and still stands strong after decades.[185][186][187]Allure commented "it's been a cult classic ever since",[188] while Paloma Abad fromVogue Spain called it as "one of the seven cosmetic wonders.[187]
.jpg)
Author Bruce Wexler explained that "fashion icons such as Jackie Kennedy and Madonna have also inspired Barbies clothes".[189] According toABC News, in the 1980sBarbie "made a strong fashion statement" wearing outrageous, over-the-top outfits "inspired by MTV and Madonna".[190] ProfessorAnn duCille commented about a time when Madonna "transformed underwear into outerwear" while Barbie also took to the streets in such clothes as see-through bustiers and spandex leggins.[191]
In 1987, authorCy Schneider noticed Madonna-inspired looks inJem fashion dolls.[192]Mattel Italian collaborators Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi, known as Magia 2000, have portrayed Madonna in several fashion dolls that have been featured in a number of magazines and websites worldwide. They claimed that the singer inspired their foray into this field.[193]
Madonna became the face of multiple campaigns of fashion houses. In 1999, she became the face of aMax Factor campaign.[194] She also became the face of multiplesLouis Vuitton andVersace campaigns.[195][196]
Madonna also created her own fashion brands. In 2007, she launched in association withH&M a clothing line called "M by Madonna", the first collection of clothes she designed. According toHindustan Times, she also became the "first celebrity with no designing experience to infiltrate the superstore's shelves".[197] Upon the launch of the "Material Girl" line in 2010, Erin Skarda fromTime magazine said she stepped up her role in fashion.[15] In 2014, Madonna launched the MDNA Skin, with an editor fromW saying she helped raise the bar for quality among these celebrities ventures.[87] In 2019, Madonna teamed up with Too Faced for the limited-release of two make-up box sets inspired by her stage looks of theMadame X era.[153][198]
.JPG)
The initial sales of clothing inspired by Madonna throughout late 20th century, impactedretail sales. Authors inDefining Visions (1998) described results by saying: "No pop star had more impact on retail clothing sales than Madonna".[199] Macy's store sold out its Madonna-licensed fashions and jewelry within two days.[200] Amid the height ofMTV Generation, Macy's fashion director said in 1985, that in contrast to fashion-inspired lines of other leading figures, her line was successful "because [she] brought a whole new way of dressing that was a total contrast to the menswear look for women that preceded it".[200] Speaking about Madonna's fashion contests of the era, professorE. Ann Kaplan called it a "successful exploitation" of her style by clothing companies.[201] In 1996,Laura Mulvey similarly commented "Madonna's performances make full use of the potential of cosmetics".[202]
Throughout the first two decades of the 21st century, some accessories and fashion items related to Madonna saw a notorious sales increase. Thered string used inKabbalah gained a surge in sales.[203] RetailerBoots reported a 72% rise in the sales ofhair rollers after the release of "Hung Up".[9] According toAntoine Arnault, everything worn in Madonna's Spring Summer Campaign forLouis Vuitton in 2009, sold out within months.[195] Madonna's own fashion brands obtained healthysales as well.
InOh Fashion (1994), by professorsShari Benstock and Suzanne Ferriss, it was said that many of her pieces achieved the status of popular to becoming cultural icons.[204] Through years, publications have elaborated "best Madonna looks" and similar lists, including a list byL'Officiel made in 2020, in which her garments are described as marking the "history of music and fashion".[21] Madonna has also been placed in general-interest lists in music industry, including a list made byGlamour in 2021, of the "iconic fashion moments in music history", appearing twice, including the first spot.[205] In 2023,Christian Allaire fromVogue commented she "has delivered plenty of [...] looks that people still talk about today".[24] The same year,Glamour magazine stated she has been "at the forefront of many of the most memorable pop culture moments of the last 50+ years".[206]
In 2019, American journalistLyndsey Parker commented for Yahoo! that her performance at the1984 MTV Video Music Awards catapulted the singer to "superstar status", and its costume played a foremost role, as it seemed many girls in the United States wanted to be Madonna (or a "Madonnabe"). She defined the moment by saying: "No one had ever seen anything like it at the time".[207] Parker further notes that "it remains such a signature look" that Madonna has referenced it in other performances.[207]
In 2019,Her World included the dress among Madonna's looks that "have influenced a generation of pop singers".[208] According to Californian newspaperLa Opinión, the1991 Academy Awards marked a milestone in the history of the red carpet, when Madonna and Michael Jackson arrived together.[209]
So much more than just a 'moment', Madonna's groundbreaking cone bra encouraged generations of female pop performers to embrace their sexuality on stage via their sartorial choices.
According to theNational Geographic Society "it quickly became one of many iconic looks associated with" her.[210] ToTim Blanks, Madonna in her Gaultier cone-bra "is one of the most unforgettable images of the entire decade" (the 1990s).[4]Another Magazine's Jack Moss called it "an image of true pop culture ubiquity".[211] It was suggested to be arguably Madonna's most seminal look,[61] while Bryan Goh ofHer World, said that entire look "has gone on to achievecult status".[208]
The cone bra has been described as more than just a part of fashion history, or an artefact hanging in a museum according to Liam Hess ofVogue, who said "its legacy lies in the very real way in which it has encouraged generations of female pop performers".[212] Albeit the cone bra existed long before Madonna, her associated look has since influenced numerous fashion designers and pop stars alike, wrote an editor fromEntertainment Weekly in 2020.[213]
.jpg)
.jpg)
Many of her pieces have been recreated or inspired similar ones. According to Joanne Garde-Hansen fromUniversity of Gloucestershire in 2011, Madonna's Gaultier conical bra is one of her most emulated outfits.[2] Some references were compared and seen in numerous events and media, including inHocus Pocus byStephanie Faracy and inspired-likeLady Gaga (2009 MuchMusic Video Awards) orCameron Diaz (photo shoot forV in 2009) among many others.[213]
In 2015, María Mérida fromVogue in its Spanish-language edition, noted the influence of theLike a Virgin-look dress saying that if "one of your looks turns into aHalloween costume, it is because you have achieved something important", and this style is still one of the most demanded at Halloween parties, Mérida claimed.[214]
In 2021,L'Officiel Brazil described "her style influence has turned her garments into [...] valuable items".[215] TheGuinness World Records listed a corset designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier sold atChristie's in London in May 1994 for $19,360 as the most ever paid for an item of clothing belonging to Madonna.[216] However, numerous pieces of Madonna's clothing have since fetched higher prices. A 2001Sotheby's online auction, sold another corset for $24,000, which, according to other publications surpassed the largest paid for a Madonna fashion item.[217][218] Other pieces such as the jacket worn atDesperately Seeking Susan raised $252,000 and a dress worn at "Vogue"'s video, $179,200.[219][220]
In 2014, a collection of dresses and outfits worn by Madonna in her music and film career helped a celebrity auction raise $3.2 million.[219] In 2009, an exhibition in London namedSimply Madonna: Materials Of The Girl featured 300 outfits, which was reportedly to be the largest collection outside of Madonna's own.[221] In 2010, another exhibitionSimply Madonna was on display at theMelbourne Fashion Festival, Australia.[222]
Madonna's fashion sense and its cultural impact have received both immediate and retrospective discussions. The staff ofBillboard commented in 2015, that "her sense of style became as influential as her chart-topping tunes".[34] InOh Fashion (1994), it was described: "Madonna's fashion moves generally caught shifts in cultural style and taste".[204] In 2018, Liana Satenstein fromVogue referred to her "huge impact on the runway and the red carpet over the course of her decades-long career".[223]
Madonna's fashion impact was discussed as an era-defining advent with long-lasting effects. For instance, inMuckraker (2014), researcher Carlos Primo, music critic Javier Blánquez, journalist Daniel Arjona and philosopher Leticia García agree that Madonna paved the road for a new way of understanding the relationship between fashion and show business.[224] Professor Martin S. Remland ofWest Chester University said when both MTV and Madonna appeared, the marriage of music and fashion became more prominent than ever before.[225] American designerTodd Oldham, was quoted as saying that she was to fashion what theBig Bang theory is to the creation of the world.[226] Cynthia Robins ofSan Francisco Chronicle further adds that "when Madonna came along, all fashion hell broke loose. She established a heady pace".[227] Commentators ranging fromArianne Phillips toDiane Asitimbay overall commented in similar terms how fashion significantly changed.[4][228] Paloma Herce from fashion magazineHarper's Bazaar, in its Spanish-language edition, held she created a "before and after" period.[70] In 2005, Asitimbay stated that Madonna andMichael Jordan "did more for thefashion industry in the United States than many of our fashion models put together".[228]
Madonna's fashion influence came from diverse sources; authors ofThe 1980s (2007), commented that "she influenced styles in so many ways via her music videos".[50] She also did with tours; with herBlond Ambition World Tour alone, Drew Mackie fromPeople magazine stated it "helped cement the link between pop costumes and couture".[229] Her influence on public was noted across multiple decades.[230] By 2008,Robert Verdi was quoted as saying Madonna was like anadjective in fashion, describing: "Friends will go shopping with each other and say, 'It's so Madonna.' That's what you want in fashion".[231] In similar connotations,Anna Wintour and British author Michael Pye concurred that she "makes fashion happen", with Pye further adding that "she's fashion".[232] Similarly, Mary Sollosi commented forEntertainment Weekly in 2022, she had an impact on what's in vogue every step of the way.[37] The same year, Amalissa Hall fromTatler summarized "she's inspired major fashion movements over the years" and at the height of her career, from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s, "whatever she wore, the public followed".[233] Back in 2006, clothing companyH&M described her "global influence" on how people dress and look as without equal.[234]
According to Katya Foreman fromBBC, her impact was eminent amid theyouth culture of her generation, with a combination of attire and attitude.[4] The most notorious group were young girls, known later as theMadonna wannabes with an unusually high number of women began to dress like Madonna. Other female singers in theMTV Generation attained fashion impact, but "Madonna's persona and 'look' inspired the greatest fandom", suggested professor Gary Burns inA Companion to Popular Culture (2016).[235] InThe History of Rock and Roll (2012), Stuart Kallen expressed: "Madonna changed the way young women dressed virtually overnight".[236] In reviewing that decade in 1990, Barbara Fole ofLos Angeles Times called her "the woman who has influenced the fashion scene more than anyone else in the 1980s".[3] Madonna's changing styles continued to influence women's fashion in the following years (and decades),[237] but the 1980s are said to be the pinnacle of her fashion influence.[238]
By the late 1990s, Canadian scholarKarlene Faith commented that her "fashion influence has crossed generations",[239] while editors ofRock Fashion (1999) described, "Madonna has been the top influence everywhere".[161] Her influence has since faded, although in 2022, Pratik Aswal from Indian Institute of Art & Design, perceived that "her style is still imitated byher fans even today".[11] Individuals like Alyson Walsh fromThe Guardian (2015) to Louise Gray ofi-D (2018) and Stephen Doig fromThe Daily Telegraph (2023) have dedicated articles discussing ongoing Madonna's influence on them or during her prime.[240][8][230]
As early as 1985,Mark Bego echoed her influence on many things —including on fashion designers— saying "knows no foreseeable boundaries".[242] In 1990, Foley explained that "she inspires some of the biggest names in the clothing business".[3] A 1999 article ofJournal of American Culture fromBowling Green State University, described how during the 1980s and 1990s, aspects of Madonna's styles influenced the styles of leading designers inParis and London.[243]
Both her retrospectively and perceived continued influence has been discussed in her next decades. In 2015, an editor fromFashion Week Mexico concurred that she has been a "constant inspiration" on runway shows around the world.[73] In 2020, Simone Vertua ofL'Officiel adds: "Madonna's style had influenced fashion designers to make unforgettable collaborations".[21] In 2021,Vogue also remarked that she has inspired collections of "various" designers.[6] In 2023,Women's Wear Daily's Tonya Blazio-Licorish lumped Madonna with other 20th century's female artists, for continuing "to inspire fashion designers with their show-stopping personas".[244] Furthermore,Anna Sui credited Madonna for inspiring to run her firstrunway show.[245] In 2016, German designerMichael Michalsky commented that he has taken inspiration from her in his collections.[246]
Madonna's style influenced other entertainers and was noted in numerous celebrities and artists.[247] In 2012, after decades since her debut, author Tom Streissguth was convinced that Madonna attitude has survived, as many female music and style celebrities have had a little bit of her in their style.[248] Others have addressed the path Madonna paved, includingVogue magazine.[6] About this whole point, Simone Vertua fromL'Officiel argued "her looks have totally revolutionized the way of thinking of all the pop stars".[21] Similarly, Leah Melby Clinton ofGlamour adds that "she totally paved the way for future pop-tart ladies".[249]
Various individuals have publicly expressed Madonna's fashion influence on them, immediate and retrospectively. In 2011,Kelly Osbourne named Madonna as her biggest fashion influence,[250] while celebrities such asNaomi Campbell andRita Ora once cited her as one of her fashion icons.[251][252]Kelly Brook also referred to her as her style icon while growing up.[253]
Amid an ever-evolving industry, Madonna managed to receive peer industry recognition. According toHarper's Bazaar in 2015, designers likeRiccardo Tisci have paid tribute to Madonna.[155]Simon Doonan paid homage to her in a slideshow atBarney's calledThe Mesmerizing Mistress of Perpetual Reinvention.[12] In a 1985 interview,Michael Gross asked Madonna, "how do you feel about designers paying tribute to you?". "I'm very flattered", she said.[254]Dolce & Gabbana have dedicated some shows to Madonna, including their spring/summer 2001 collection entitled Madonna and Italian Beauty in 2024.[77]
Designers such asDonatella Versace andKarl Lagerfeld once expressed their admiration towards her in fashion terms; Lagerfeld once called her "the single greatest fashion influence in the world".[255][256][257] Doonan once referred to her like "patron saint for fashion".[12] In 2019, Versace was commissioned byL'Officiel to write a special article about Madonna, where she became "reflective".[257] Like Lagerfeld,Vogue magazine also proclaimed her as the "greatest single fashion influence" in the world.[258] Similarly, in 2015,Suhani Pittie said in her blog, "it would not be wrong to say that she is in fact 'the' most influential women's fashion icon ever",[259] whileJean-Paul Gaultier told Spanish press in 2012, that she is the "biggest fashion icon" although recognized newer generations by that time, and an ever-evolving industry.[260]
Madonna has appeared in a number oflisticles and publications related to fashion sense or individuals' impact. In 2009,Clothes Show London conducted a poll of fashion biggest icons of the 20th century divided by decades. Madonna won the 1980s section, with 75 percent —the highest sum attained by the other decade's winners.[261] She was also included inRolling Stone's list of musicians who defined the 1990s fashion.[262]
| Year | Publication | List or Work | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Glamour | The 25 Most Influential Style Icons in Music | 1 | [263] |
| 2012 | Time | All-TIME 100 Fashion Icons, Style and Design | N/a | [15] |
| 2013 | Today | The Most Memorable Style Icons | 10 | [264] |
| 2015 | Flavorwire | Music's 40 Greatest Style Icons | 5 | [265] |
| 2015 | Harper's Bazaar | Women Who Changed Fashion: The Style Icons | N/a | [155] |
| 2017 | 150 World's Most Fashionable Women | N/a | [266] | |
| 2016 | Design Museum | Fifty Women's Fashion Icons that Changed the World | N/a | [267] |
| 2016 | Beyond Words Publishing | Style Icons Who Changed the World Through Fashion | N/a | [268] |
| 2020 | Uproxx | The Most Influential Style Icons In Music History | N/a | [269] |
| 2021 | Laurence King Publishing | 100 Women 100 Styles (The Women Who Changed the Way We Look) | N/a | [270] |
.jpg)
Madonna has received a number ofawards for her fashion. She was honored with the Style Icon byElle Style Awards in 2007, recognizing her contributions in the field, and for her ever-evolving image.[271] She won variousVH1 Fashion Awards, including the first Versace Award in 1998, as their panel agreed that "her career has been the model for the infusion of celebrity and glamour into fashion and in many ways created the fashion world as it is known today".[272] Madonna was recognized by theInternational Best Dressed Hall of Fame List.[273]
Over the course of multiple decades, Madonna was referred immediately and retrospectively with sobriquets in journalist pieces internationally. She was called a "Goddess of Fashion", "Queen of Style" or a "Queen of Fashion".[34][274][256] In 2003, Czech newspaperMladá fronta DNES named her the "Queen of Fashion Trends" but also the "Master ofKitsch".[275] She was also called the "Queen ofCamp".[276] In 2015, an editor from fashion magazineHarper's Bazaar retrospectively called her "Queen of Street Style".[70] In 1998,The Straits Times called her "Queen of Many Faces".[277]
Many pieces sported by Madonna have been part of various exhibitions around the world. Following a selected gallery and examples:
.jpg)
AmongMadonna's books, some of them had a central theme in her fashion or photos, includingMartin H. M. Schreiber's books in 2002 and 2017 for herPlayboy nude photos,Richard Corman'sMadonna NYC 83 in 2013, andMatthew Rettenmund'sMLVC60: Madonna's Most Amazing Magazine Covers: A Visual Record in 2019.
| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack albums | |
| Live albums | |
| Compilation albums | |
| Limited releases | |
| Video releases | |
| Concerts and tours | |
| Films directed | |
| Documentaries | |
| Television | |
| Books authored | |
| Companies and brands | |
| Works about Madonna |
|
| Public image | |
| Related articles | |
.JPG)
