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Thierry Mugler’s Photographs Are Just as Daring as His Couture

The groundbreaking fashion designer passed away on January 23, at the age of 73

By Geoffrey Montes
Stylish couple in futuristic outfits standing against a red mural with large faces in the background.
Moscow, Russia, 1986. Angela Wilde and Serguei wear *Tailleur Espion* and *Costume Espion* by Mugler. Photo: ©2019 Editions de la Martinière, une marque de la société EDLM

Person in a red outfit poses on a rooftop with iconic skyscrapers and blue sky in the background.
New York City, 1988. Carol Wilson wears Tailleur Vampire by Mugler. ©2019 Editions de la Martinière, une marque de la société EDLM

“A photograph must come from imagination and not be a reflection of what is.” So said avant-garde fashion designer Thierry Mugler, who passed away on January 23, 2022, at age 73. Renowned for conjuring futuristic haute couture worn by everyone from Jerry Hall to Beyoncé, Mugler was a provocateur whose theatrical clothes were never short on architectural drama. (A recent retrospective at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts was Canada’s most popular exhibition of 2019.)

In addition to his singular garments, Mugler exercises fierce creative control over all aspects of his brand, even shooting the campaigns himself. Now his electrifying work behind the lens is taking center stage with the new book Manfred Thierry Mugler, Photographer (Abrams, $125), which features more than 150 hypnotic images, many of which have never before been made public.

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Inside, Mugler takes readers on an enthralling visual voyage from the Algerian Sahara to Greenland’s iceberg-dotted Disko Bay and then to the outskirts of Volgograd, Russia, where he spotted a 66-foot-tall scarlet star, stopped the car, and asked model Angela Wilde to climb it. The resulting image certainly comes from the imagination, not a reflection of what is.

Person posing by a scenic river, surrounded by lush greenery and distant mountains, with two boats on the water.
Guilin Valley, China, 1985. Evelyne Gaud-Peretti wears Beaux Fruits De L’été by Mugler. ©2019 Editions de la Martinière, une marque de la société EDLM

Person in dark attire standing on a large red star against clear blue sky backdrop.
Volgograd countryside, Russia, 1986. Angela Wilde wears Azzedine Alaïa.

Tower with a large star top against a dramatic orange sky, overlooking a landscape of water and greenery.
Mugler’s 1985 trip to China, shown here, is chronicled in the new book. ©2019 Editions de la Martinière, une marque de la société EDLM

Person posing against a backdrop of white sand dunes and a clear blue sky, showcasing strong, defined muscles and confident posture.
White Sands, New Mexico, 1988. Djimon Hounsou as himself. ©2019 Editions de la Martinière, une marque de la société EDLM

Three people in white outfits stand against a vibrant red and yellow wall with green foliage under a bright blue sky.
Tlalpan Chapel, Mexico City, designed by architect Luis Barragán, 1985. Anna Bayle, Daniel Nadelbach, and Ilaï wear Urban Summer Shirt by Mugler. ©2019 Editions de la Martinière, une marque de la société EDLM

Woman sitting on a red rock against a clear blue sky in a mountainous landscape.
Tafraoute, Morocco, Painted Rocks of Tafraout by Jean Verame, 1986. Martha wears Vraie Jeune Fille by Mugler. ©2019 Editions de la Martinière, une marque de la société EDLM

Stylishly dressed couple in front of a large, red mural featuring oversized faces in a bold, dramatic setting.
Moscow, Russia, 1986. Angela Wilde and Serguei wear Tailleur Espion and Costume Espion by Mugler. ©2019 Editions de la Martinière, une marque de la société EDLM

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2020 spring issue in the section the Artful Life. Subscribe to the magazine.