Madonna, Headshot and Jean Paul Gaultier

Sorry for not posting something for a week or so but it has been a little hectic here in Los Angeles for me (Hectic in a good way). I am nearing the end of the Spring Quarter and had lots of Midterms and papers to grade, plus I am cutting orders for my line, Nikolaki and meeting with people regarding various future projects. I also somehow sneaked in a session with a great photographer, Johnny Nicoloro to take some new “Head Shots” for me. Yes, headshots, a clothing designer in 2006 now has to have headshots. We live in a crazy world!

Amongst all this, I did find time to take a little break last Sunday and experience Madonna’s “Confessions” concert Debut in Los Angeles at The Forum. Year’s ago, I had designed and made some outfits for Madonna’s iconic backup Diva, Niki Harris. She was the sweetest, kindest person, opening her home to me for fittings, and “dishing” about the Industry. This is the closest
“Six Degrees of Separation” that I got to Mrs.
Ritchie.
I expected to be entertained, shocked and to work up a sweat (I am a Madonna fan, for the last, well, 15 years!)and I was. The beginning, with the “W” magazine photo-video montage by photographer Steven Klein, and the whole Jean-Paul Gaultier/Hermes-meets-S & M Horse-riding costumes was one of my favorite sections of the whole concert. I especially loved the dancers and their saddle accessories on their shoulders and their horse-trotting inspired choreography. It was both innovative and sexy. She did several costume changes, going from velvet knickers-clad Madonna-on-a-cross with thorned crown to boot, to her ode to John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever” white 3-piece Disco suit.

I have to say, however, that there were moments in the whole concert where she could have “gone further” in terms of costume. I expected a little bit more in that department, and especially knowing Jean-Paul Gaultier was collaborating with her. His most recent Haute Couture collections have been breathtaking visions of the ultimate design.
Several seasons ago he paid homage to Africa by designing silk and leather bustiers based on African Tribal masks as well as chiffon gowns reminiscent of Garden parties in pre-colonial Kenya. Just stunning. A parade of these gowns would have fit perfectly in the section of the concert where photos of African children were splashed on the big screen. In my “fantasy” Madonna concert this would have juxtaposed the horror of these photos with the blinding beauty of these dresses all standing on her concert-stage-runway.

Most recently , his collection was inspired by Grecian beauties, with one particularly stunning red “bubble” gown that I could have just imagined Madonna come out on stage in. But in the end, I enjoyed the visual journey the concert put me through. If I had the money, or the connections, I would have seen it again.