‘He designed for a future where women were in charge’: Fashion world leads tributes to Thierry Mugler

Beyoncé and Diana Ross are among the celebrities who have led tributes to Manfred Thierry Mugler as the fashion world mourns the late designer.

The 73-year-old’s death was announced in a post shared to his Instagram on Sunday 23 January.

“We are devastated to announce the passing of Mr Manfred Thierry Mugler on Sunday January 23rd 2022. May his soul Rest In Peace,” a caption under an image of a black square said.

Many celebrities paid have paid their condolences in the comments under the announcement on Mugler’s Instagram.

“No no no no no,” model Bella Hadid wrote, adding a downcast emoji. Heidi Klum left a broken heart emoji, writing “Icon”, while Kylie Minogue thanked Mugler for his “art”. “Deepest condolences. A true visionary. Thank you for your art Manfred,” she said.

Elsewhere on social media, celebrities who knew and worked with Mugler shared tributes to their own social media profiles and websites.

Beyoncé, who frequently wore Mugler’s designs, paid tribute to the avant-garde designer on her website.

The landing page has been updated with a collage of the Lemonade singer in Mugler’s designs and a black-and-white photograph of him smiling. “Rest in Peace” she captioned the post.

Tracee Ellis Ross shared video footage of herself walking in Mugler’s 1991 show alongside her mother Diana Ross.

Ross told followers that Diana had agreed to take part as long as Tracee, who “desperately wanted to be a model” could walk in the show as well. The following year, Mugler invited them both back to walk for a second time.

“Thierry Mugler was a defining force in fashion. Even his archive collection today seems futuristic. He was a true dreamer….he designed for a future where women were in charge and on top,” Ross wrote, adding that his clothes were “sculptural, sexy and fierce”.

“I remember him as joyous and beautiful. He loved my mother. And allowed me to take part in his incredible world. What an honor it is to have a small piece [of] history with a true fashion icon. Rest In Peace, Manfred Thierry Mugler.”

Diana also paid tribute to Mugler, sharing a photograph of the pair on Twitter at his 1992 show in Paris. “I will miss you Thierry Mugler this was a wonderful time in our lives,” she said.

On Instagram, Kourtney Kardashian and Khloe Kardashian also expressed their sorrow upon learning the sad news.

Kourtney shared a photograph of her sisters, Khloe, Kim, Kylie and Kendall, and their mother, Kris, all dressed in black or white Mugler designs.

“All in Mugler,” she wrote, adding a broken heart emoji.

Vanessa Hudgens paid condolences to the designer by resharing a video from 2020 Mugler exhibition to her Instagram stories. “No one did it like he did,” she said.

Model Coca Rocha shared footage of Mugler’s 1995 haute couture show, which marked the brand’s 20^th anniversary. In a lengthy caption, she mourned the loss of the designer just days after the passing of Andre Leon Talley, writing that the fashion industry has “lost another titan”.

“While I never got to work with Manfred, I did get to tell him how much I appreciated his work a few months ago at his retrospective in Paris,” she said.

“I’m so thankful to have had that opportunity to do so, though I could not have imagined it would be my last.

“I know the term genius is thrown around far too lightly these days, but in my opinion Mugler was one of a handful of true genius designers of the last 50 years who deserved that title and more. I know his name and his work will be discussed, studied and revered for centuries to come.”

Fellow designer Christian Siriano wrote on Twitter: “Another Icon lost today. Rest well in ultimate beauty Thierry Mugler. You opened many many doors. Fashion is having a hard month.”

Sex And The City and And Just Like That... star Kristin Davis also paid tribute to Mugler on her Instagram stories, sharing a quote from the designer which reads: “I made clothes because I was looking for something that didn’t exist. I had to try to create my own world.”

“Another horrible loss,” she wrote. “Visionary Thierry Mugler, fly high”.