Wednesday, Lady Gaga, and Cruella
Lady Gaga in the original “Bloody Mary” music video
As I was driving into D.C. one day, I was struck by a particular song on the radio: “Bloody Mary.” One of Lady Gaga’s earlier works, from her 2nd studio album, released in 2011, has made a recent comeback thanks to a viral TikTok video incorporating the famous “Wednesday” dance sequence.
This led me to do two things: start watching “Wednesday” and start streaming Lady Gaga songs. As I was streaming on YouTube, I discovered several videos featuring clips from the 2021 film “Cruella,” set to “Bad Romance” and “Poker Face.” I absolutely LOVE these clips! If they weren’t the official trailers to the movie, they should have been. Capturing at once the rebellious nature of the title character and the main storyline, these mini-music videos inspired me to not only purchase a DVD (yes, I said DVD) of the movie, but also to imagine what the “future of fashion” might look like in our day and time.
My favorite scene is the fashion show that Cruella puts on herself. In stark contrast to the refined glamour of the Baroness von Hellman (played to a tea by the legendary Emma Thompson), Cruella (played by the equally talented Emma Stone) sets herself apart as a disruptor of fashion. Set in the 1970’s at the dawn of the punk-rock movement, Cruella could easily be an incarnation of Vivienne Westwood, the queen of punk (please see previous blog post in memoriam). I’m also reminded of Alexander McQueen, although he didn’t rise to fame until the late 1990’s/early 2000’s. Although, born in 1969, he came of age in England during the height of the punk rock movement and it is easy to believe that this influenced his designs. Demonstrating a penchant for the macabre and controversial, his collections bore such titles as “Highland Rape,” “Nihilism,” and “Banshee.”
Not until researching for this article did I discover that it was at McQueen’s last runway show, at Paris FW 2009, that Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” debuted during the finale. No wonder the song is such a great fit for the runway scene in “Cruella,” complete with pyrotechnics of which McQueen would sure have approved. In another twist of irony, his F/W 2002 collection featured a black parachute cape inspired by Tim Burton, who (you probably know) is the executive producer of “Wednesday.” It seems that everything comes full circle.
So, what is the “Future of Fashion?” Who will be the next disruptor? Demna at Balenciaga has shown tremendous creativity and a talent for dramatic presentation (such as the bleak winter landscape set for the post-Russian invasion show). However, recently chastened by the scandal surrounding two of their recent marketing campaigns, I get the feeling that the next few Balanciaga collections will be much more subdued. Alexander McQueen, as a brand, continues to survive and thrive, however since the loss of its founder in 2010, I find the collections to be mere echos of the original. Vivienne Westwood, the Grande Dame of Punk, has recently passed away. So who will be next to pick up the mantle?
Please share your thoughts! You can comment here on this page, or DM me @kristinas_korner or @kchristopher_consulting
