Performers and Designers: A True Marriage of Passion and Practicality

VIEWER WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS TONS OF AMAZING PHOTOS. VIEW WITH CAUTION IF GLamour MAKES YOU DIZZY!!!

 

Elton John, who may have started it all

 

With a new album slated for release in early September, my life will now focus on live performance so I can spread the word and build up my fan base.

 

You may think I’ll spend most of my time working with my band and practicing moves with my choreographer, but that would be forgetting how much time I’m going to devote to working with one of the most important players in any live-performers pen: the costume designer.

 

If you’re in the right outfit, what you wear should say it all. At a glance, your audience should know what kind of show they’re in for, be it grunge rock, Vegas glitz or a million things in between.

Shirley Bassey = Pure, Old School Glamour

The Rolling Stones = Rock and Roll!!!

KISS = Glam Rock

Curt Cobain keeping it “real”

Finding a designer, or stylist, who “gets” you, is, indeed, an important pursuit if you care about making a statement on stage. Luckily, history has provided us with many wonderful examples.

 

Where would we be, culturally speaking, if David Bowie hadn’t found Freddie Burretti?

 

Or Yamamoto?

 

 

Where would Liza be without Halston?

 

Where would Madonna be without Gaultier?

 

 

I honestly shudder to imagine life had Mitzi Gaynor and Cher not found Bob Mackie.

 

Mitzi in Mackie

 

Mackie designs for Cher

Cher in Mackie

I’m not going to lie. I’m supremely jealous that Shakira has great Roberto Cavalli designing her on-stage wardrobe for World Cup. Turn on the TV! Maybe you’ll catch her in one of these babies!

Shakira outfits for World Cup by Cavalli

And there’s good old Beyonce, ditching her mother’s designs to rock it in Versace.

 

I’m a huge Gaga fan, but there are some people who think she HAS such a big career BECAUSE of her costume choices. Gaga is one of the few people I can think of who wears costumes on and off stage. She takes her persona VERY seriously and it’s gotten her far.

 

 

At this point, Gaga’s stylist and costume designer, Nicola Fornichetti, is almost as famous as she is!!

 

Gaga wearing and WITH Nicolo Fornichetti

 

I have to hand it her: the fact that Lady Gaga can MOVE and SING in those creations is praise-worthy. I’m sure you’ve noticed that all the other outfits on this page feature designs that make for easy movement (if you discount how hard it is to do anything in 5 inch heals let alone command a stage and dance!).

 

I’ve surely got my work cut out for me! But I’m not starting from scratch. I have an amazing stylist, Lisa von Weise Shaw.

 

Lisa and me at a Christmas party together

 

Here’s one of my favorite “Lisa” creations for me:

 

Live at Le Poisson Rouge

 

So? What do you think? What should I wear on stage? A gown? A sequined bathing suit? Pants? Who has worn YOUR favorite costumes?

 

I always love to hear from you. Don’t be shy!

 

xo,

 

Isabel