Thierry Mugler, iconic French fashion designer, dies at 73

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(CNN) --

Fashion designer Thierry Mugler, whose extravagant creations transformed haute couture, has died at the age of 73, according to a message posted on his official Instagram account.

"We are devastated to announce the passing of Mr. Manfred Thierry Mugler on Sunday, January 23, 2022," the post read, using his full name.

"May his soul rest in peace".

The designer's brand, Mugler, also confirmed the news via an Instagram post, describing its founder as "a visionary whose imagination as a couturier, perfumer and image-maker empowered people around the world to be more bold and dream bigger every day."

Born in Strasbourg, France in 1948, Mugler worked as a freelance designer in Paris before launching his namesake label in 1974. By the 1980s he had already established himself as a major figure in international fashion, with his broad-shouldered and structural designs who epitomized and helped shape the flamboyant style of the decade.

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Entering the rarefied world of haute couture, Mugler's shows and seasonal collections became even more theatrical.

Reimagining fashion as spectacle (often with the help of the era's best-known supermodels like Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell), her aesthetic drew on both sci-fi and 1940s glamour, often fusing the classic construction with exaggerated, even surreal silhouettes.

Cardi B attends the "Thierry Mugler: Couturissime" presentation as part of Paris Fashion Week at Musée Des Arts Décoratifs on September 28, 2021 in Paris, France.

(Photo: Richard Bord/WireImage/Getty Images)

From metallic robot suits (one of which Lady Gaga wore in her 2009 "Paparazzi" music video) to underwater-themed designs inspired by fish and mermaids, her work always retained a sense of elegance amidst the drama. .

The famous floor-length black dress she designed for Demi Moore's character in the 1993 film "Indecent Proposal" proved, if proof was needed, that she didn't need bold shapes and colors to create something iconic.

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Outside of fashion, Mugler was a published photographer who directed commercials and short films, including a star-studded music video for George Michael's 1992 hit "Too Funky."

In the same year, Mugler launched his hugely popular fragrance "Angel", which helped establish a link between luxury fashion and fragrance.

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But despite the perfume's success, Mugler's ready-to-wear creations became less commercially viable in the early 2000s, and the designer left the fashion industry to pursue other creative endeavors.

His larger-than-life approach lent itself to the stage, designing costumes for Beyoncé's "I Am... World Tour" and the Cirque du Soleil production "Zumanity," among others.

In his later years, Mugler became an avid bodybuilder and began using his given name, Manfred, instead of the middle name by which he had long been known.

However, the influence of his designs lived on, and his '90s collections have enjoyed a notable resurgence in recent years, with celebrities regularly turning to his 7,000-item archive for vintage statements.

From Cardi B, who attended the Grammys in a 1995 oyster-inspired Mugler dress, to Kim Kardashian's sassy cutout dress to the 2019 Annual Hollywood Beauty Awards, Mugler's style has proven to be perfectly suited for the today's hyped red carpets.

The designer then came out of his couture retirement to create a figure-hugging gown for Kardashian to wear to the 2019 Met Gala.

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After rejecting several major museum retrospectives, the designer also agreed that year to collaborate with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts on the "Thierry Mugler, Couturissime", which is currently on display at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris.

Canadian supermodel Linda Evangelista posted an image in which she wore a stunning look from Mugler's fall-winter 1995 collection.

For his part, the American designer Christian Siriano tweeted.

"Another lost icon today. Rest well in ultimate beauty #thierrymugler. You have opened many doors."

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