the first lady of pop. the duchess of dance. the high priestess of universal funk.
i recently came across the hard-to-find soundtrack to daisy von scherler mayer's party girl in a discount bin ($0.50!!!). value aside, the measly coinage shelled out for such a purchase proved to be a welcomed respite from the caliber of albums on the current 2012 music charts. sliding the disc into the car stereo system, i was immediately transported back to a time of preternatural sounds and rhythms the likes of which have long since disappeared from the airwaves. today, anything that even vaguely resembles tracks by ultra nate, frankie knuckles or tom tom club has been manipulated and auto-tuned to death by some run of the mill iPod dj / producer.
the second to last song on said soundtrack is by a very mysterious group that experienced soaring heights of fame in 1990... and virtually dropped off the face of the earth two or three years later. having been relegated to the one-hit-wonder realm, dee-lite failed to live up to the mainstream hype surrounding the track that they will forever be associated with, and were henceforth left to die on the dancefloor.
to ignore the visual legacy left behind by the band's charismatic front-woman, miss lady kier, would be an exercise in futility. one of the originals of club culture and an eternal staple of the 90's kitschy dance craze, lady kier was a discernible assault on all fronts: invasive, loud, menacing, enchanting... and we are just talking about the clothes. the music speaks for itself. the image, however, i am pleased to note, has resonated across the time spectrum, and can still manage to show up on the latest and trendiest of catwalks. how appropriate.
an undeniable style innovator, lady kier's long-standing relationship with thierry mugler and her professional work as a legit go-go dancer in nightclubs, in addition to the retro outfits and exaggerated make-up, only added to her indelible charm and iconic fixture as a fashion mainstay. pictures speak volumes. see for yourself.
psychedelia has no place in modern fashion, or so you would be led to believe. with many designers currently trying to replicate the lisbeth salander look (dopey, bug-eyed creatures with jet black attire and stark, white everything else), the spastic color palette of world clique is under-reprepresented and in dire need of a comeback. enter mary katrantzou. sophisticated color mash-ups and bright, buoyant fabrics herald a new wave of fun and flirty club-culture-wear; a vibrant clarion call back to the days of fifth avenue basement raves where dj booths blasted underground dance hits well into the early morning hours.
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for a head-to-toe look (on the cheap tip)... versace for h&m, 2011
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