Fashion as sculpture, as avant-garde expression, as spectacle: Thierry Mugler’s career pushed the boundaries of what fashion design and clothing could mean.
Mugler, who went by Manfred in later years, founded his brand in 1973 with his first personal collection. By the late 1990s, he was more famous for his fragrances, thanks to the brand’s best seller Angel. But vintage Mugler dresses and gowns have recently returned to red carpets, worn by stars like Kim Kardashian, Cardi B and Hailey Bieber.
Mugler’s penchant for performance, drama and costuming came from his background in ballet, having danced as a teenager with the Opéra national du Rhin in his hometown of Strasbourg, France. In the 1980s and ’90s, his couture shows were theatrical and futuristic, similar to those of his contemporaries Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Lacroix.
In one of Mugler’s shows, the then-pregnant legendary supermodel Pat Cleveland (part of the coterie of glamorous muses associated with designer Halston) was suspended from the ceiling and then glided down the runway surrounded by clouds of smoke.
Mugler would become known for his immaculate tailoring as well as for his increasingly avant-garde designs that featured sharp cuts, sexy and fetishistic elements, an integration of metal and uniquely treated materials like PVC and leather. Recent years have seen Mugler’s archival designs, especially from his 1995 haute couture show, take center stage, coinciding with the resurgence of camp in fashion and the return of bodycon dresses.
The French cosmetics company Clarins SA acquired Mugler’s brand in 1997, and its founder stepped back from the label in 2002. The house’s roster of clients has included some of the most visionary figures in fashion, from David Bowie and Diana Ross to Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, and the founder’s influence on over-the-top fashion can be seen in the work of designers such as Jeremy Scott and Alexander McQueen.
Find vintage Thierry Mugler corset tops, suits, sunglasses and other clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
THIERRY MUGLER Vintage Jewelled Claw Brooch
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Nice, FR
THIERRY MUGLER vintage gold tone claw brooch embellished with multicolored crystals. Embossed THIERRY MUGLER. Indicative measurements : max. length approx. 6.3 cm (2.48 inches) / m...
Gilt Metal
THIERRY MUGLER Vintage Black Barbed Wire Brooch
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Nice, FR
THIERRY MUGLER vintage black tone metal barbed wire brooch. Embossed TM (see on the last picture / difficult to photograph). Indicative measurements : le...
Thierry Mugler Rare Silver Metal Barbed Wire Brooch Pin
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Berlin, BE
Thierry Mugler silver tone metal barbed wire brooch. Thierry Mugler’s creations have always stood as iconic statements of bold innovation and avant-garde ...
THIERRY MUGLER Vintage Jewelled Brooch
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Nice, FR
THIERRY MUGLER vintage rare silver tone brooch embellished with blue crystals. From a French private collection. Embossed TM. Indicative measurements : width approx. 7 cm (2.76 in...
Antique Victorian 18K Gold Diamond Enamel Brooch Depicting a Classical Lady
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
A Victorian yellow gold, diamond, and enamel brooch, comprising three rose cut diamonds, and hand painted enamel, in 18 karat yellow gold, with silver pin. This exquisite Victorian...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique Victorian Yellow Gold and Silver 1.74ctw Diamond & Pearl Palmette Brooch
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
A Victorian diamond, pearl, yellow gold and silver brooch or pendant, set with one round pearl, one teardrop shaped pearl, six old European cut diamonds, and seventy-five rose cut di...
Diamond, Pearl, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Petite Art Deco 1930s Platinum & 18K Gold Sapphire & Diamond Stylised Bow Brooch
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
A petite Art Deco sapphire, diamond, platinum, and yellow gold brooch, comprising one single cut diamond, twenty rose cut diamonds, and twenty calibre step cut blue sapphires, set in...
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Vintage 18k Gold Enamel Brooch with Diamond & Ruby
Located in Miami, FL
Estate 18k Gold Enamel Turtle Brooch Featuring Round White Diamond Approx. 0.28ct, Round Red Ruby Approx. 0.14ct Total Weight 16.93g Measurem...
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Enamel
Art Deco 1930s 14K Yellow Gold Enamel Parrot Bar Brooch in Original Case
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
An Art Deco yellow gold, and enamel brooch, comprising an enamel parrot, in 14 karat yellow gold, to a 14 karat yellow gold bar, with 14 karat yellow gold pin and fittings. This ex...
14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
German Decorative Gilt Metal and Mottled Green Glass Brooch
Located in London, GB
Beautiful German decorative gilt metal brooch, with lovely mottled green glass stones. The brooch is marked Ges. Gesch which is a German registered trademark. It has a long pin and C...
Antique Victorian 9K Gold Enamel Painted Springer Spaniel Brooch, by WB Ford
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
A Victorian enamel, porcelain, and yellow gold brooch, comprising a circular porcelain panel, painted with enamel, in 9 karat yellow gold. My favourite thing about this Antique 9K Yellow Gold Spaniel Brooch...
9k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique Victorian French 18K Yellow Gold & Silver Black Enamel Oval Belt Buckle
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
A Victorian black enamel, yellow gold, and silver belt buckle, comprising one yellow gold oval panel, adorned with black enamel, with silver buckle mechanism. This striking Victori...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, Enamel
French Antique 18K Yellow Gold Enamel Limoges Stick Pin Depicting a Woman
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
An antique enamel, and yellow gold stick pin, with a rectangular shaped head, adorned with enamel depicting a lady in profile, in 18 karat yellow gold. The stick pin boasts a recta...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Chanel Spring/Summer 2003 Coco Portrait Chain-Link Brooch, Gunmetal
By Chanel
Located in Atlanta, GA
Striking Chanel chain-link brooch from the Spring/Summer 2003 collection, featuring the house’s iconic “Coco Portrait” motif rendered in a bold, graphic medallion format. The primary...
Antique Edwardian 15K Gold Pearl and Diamond Floral Star Brooch and Pendant
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
An Edwardian pearl, diamond, and yellow gold brooch and pendant, comprising one old European cut diamond, and seventy-four half seed pearl, set in 15 karat yellow gold, with 15 karat yellow gold pin and fittings. This beautiful Edwardian brooch and pendant is set to the centre with a sparkling old European cut diamond, held aloft within a claw setting. The diamond is bright, white, and sparkly. Petals of gold, set with seed pearls, branch from the diamond, creating a central flower, raised above the rest of the brooch. The flower resides above a 6-rayed star, adorned with seed pearls, the slender rays interspersed with pearl set foliate tendrils. The piece is complete with a pendant hook, safety clasp, and removable brooch pin in yellow gold, allowing the piece to be worn multiple ways. It is likely this piece would have been purchased alongside an Edwardian pearl necklace...
Diamond, Pearl, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
$12,101
W 1.48 in D 0.24 in L 1.58 in
Antique Victorian Silver 4.93ctw Old Cut Diamond Crescent Moon Brooch
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
A Victorian, diamond, and silver brooch, comprising twenty-three old cut diamonds, graduating in size, set in silver, with a silver pin and fittings. This beautiful brooch is shaped...
Diamond, Silver
Spectacular Thierry Mugler Prototype Brooch Crystal Arrow Drop
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Berlin, BE
DAZZLING THIERRY MUGLER RUNWAY PROTOTYPE BROOCH This extraordinary unique brooch - an archival prototype created for the legendary Thierry Mugler Runway Show, a lightning strike of ...
Rare Thierry Mugler FW1986 Les Milteuses ETOILE Brooch Silver Star
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Berlin, BE
Radiating with celestial allure, this rare Thierry Mugler star brooch from the 1986 Fall/Winter collection "Les Milteuses" encapsulates the visionary grandeur synonymous with Mugler’...
THIERRY MUGLER Vintage Jewelled Silver Tone Iconic Star Lapel Pin
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Nice, FR
THIERRY MUGLER vintage silver tone iconic star lapel pin embellished with clear crystals. Embossed TM. Indicative measurements : max. height approx. 8.9 cm (3.50 inches) / max. wid...
THIERRY MUGLER Vintage Jewelled Star Brooch
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Nice, FR
THIERRY MUGLER vintage rare stylized silver tone star brooch embellished with clear crystals and teardrops. Embossed THIERRY MUGLER. Indicative measurements : max. height approx. 1...
Thierry Mugler Blue Jewel Paved Space Age Pin Brooch
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Atlanta, GA
Stunning and rare Thierry Mugler couture pin brooch. Features a dimensional oversized infinity symbol shape with dangling charms in silvered metal framing all paved with tiny crystal...
C.1990 Thierry Mugler Modernist Bolo Tie Longhorn Brooch
By Thierry Mugler
Located in Atlanta, GA
French designer Thierry Mugler is a master of the innovative suit incorporating strong shoulders and wasp waist silhouettes to create a feminine elegance with a healthy dose of sex appeal. This combination of a chromed base metal longhorn brooch and black silk bolo tie with silver tips would add a modernist avant garde accessory...
Silver