Muglers Casey Cadwallader on the fashion houses legacy: the brands creative director has dr

“Not lightly,” is how Cadwallader, who over a Zoom call with Style is surrounded by an angelic halo of Parisian light at his desk, describes taking on Mugler’s legacy and resurrecting a house that had cycled through a few creative directors since Thierry’s genre-redefining time.

I always looked up to [Thierry Mugler] and I always was fascinated by his workCasey Cadwallader, creative director, Mugler

“I always looked up to him and I always was fascinated by his work. When I was young I would see it on TV mainly because I didn’t live in the city yet. And it was just such a vivacious image,” he says. “You saw these over-the-top people looking so fantastic and there was such an energy and a pulsing culture around what I saw on TV. And then when I started to really hunt in vintage stores in my late teens, I would start to see the pieces and they were just so different and so sculptural and so crafted and making all these crazy curves and shapes and I was just really impressed by them and their whole presence on a hanger.”

Cadwallader, who spent time behind the scenes at brands such as Acne Studios, Loewe and Narciso Rodriguez before Mugler, shares the same affinity with Thierry Mugler for showmanship, inclusiveness and looking beyond the status quo in fashion.

His collections so far have been joyful and sharp and provocative – lots of ombré bodycon, leather and lace, corsetry and cut-out denim shown on different bodies (Cadwallader’s mum also loves his denim). Allowing plenty of room for self-expression is how Cadwallader has always approached fashion.“I think in today’s world we don’t like to be defined with one sort of label. I use myself often as an example. This can have to do with boldness versus conservatism, it can have to do with gender expression, it can be a lot of things, but I think that everyone has a really broad range of who they are. I think what’s interesting with Mugler specifically is that it’s always been quite out there, and there’s something really liberating about that,” he says.Like Thierry Mugler, Cadwallader loves dressing true performers and thinking about how they will embody clothes on stage. His designs have been worn by the likes of Dua Lipa, Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé.

Seeing them on stage, worn by women he admires, is the ultimate thrill. Though meeting Australian pop star Kylie Minogue is also up there. (“I’ve loved her my whole life and loved her music my whole life. Sometimes you meet people that you look up to like that and it’s a letdown and with her it was like, ‘I just want to hang out now.’”)

“I’ve always been pop obsessed. I love music and I always have. I grew up on Madonna and Janet Jackson and TLC, then Beyoncé and Rihanna. I’m constantly obsessed with them. I listen to the music on repeat and FKA Twigs and Doja Cat. I’m in that all the time. So the fact that my work in fashion could then cross into this strong passion of mine, it’s just sort of a dream,” he says.

Reigniting the connection between Mugler and pop culture was a key focus for Cadwallader in taking on the job.

“There is such a cultural pop identity to Mugler. And that was one of my big focuses when I came in. I was like, there’s two things that need to be done. One, the clothes need to get more exciting and more bold and more about the body and the anatomy and about how to create confidence in people. And then the second part was how do we get this brand back on stage? Because it’s like a combustion when you have a strong look and a strong performer. It’s such a magical thing to see,” he says.

[Mugler has] always been quite out there, and there’s something really liberating about thatCasey Cadwallader, creative director, Mugler

An architecture graduate who started in jewellery design and once wanted to design cars, Cadwallader is interested in form and also materials – he’s particularly fascinated by technical fabrics and anything with stretch. He loves things like Nike running gear, moonlights for skiwear brand Aztech Mountain, and is often found at fabric fairs. This fascination with new materials is another thing he shares with Thierry, who was one of the first designers (if not the first) to use printed latex, did a whole show in Lycra, and was early on using faux fur.

“I think there’s the idea of fashion dominating the body and also fashion telling you what your body is supposed to be. And I think that those are old ideas,” he says. “I think that new ideas are about how to work with different bodies and to make different bodies look their best. And I think this is where technical fabrics become quite important. I think that if the garment is thought of from the beginning to not just go on a size 36 runway model, but instead potentially a size 46 or a 52, it’s a very different design process. It’s about how you cut the garment for sure, and how you design the garment but it’s also about how adaptive the material is.”

There’s the idea of fashion dominating the body and also fashion telling you what your body is supposed to be. And I think that those are old ideasCasey Cadwallader, creative director, Mugler

It’s already been a big year for Cadwallader. There was a buzzy H&M collaboration, a joy for someone who wants fashion to be more “democratic”, and he launched his first bag with the house: the Spiral Curve. Plans include further expanding the universe of Mugler into more tailoring and price diversity.

Ultimately, he’s having a blast paying homage to a brand he loves and layering in his own voice.

“I’m not just taking the house in a different direction, I’m really trying to refine and update for today what [Mr Mugler] was doing. That comes from a place where I love his clothes and I love what his brand meant in culture,” he says.

What it means to him personally is thinking about the impact his clothes might have on the people who wear them.

“I think that I’m trying to do my part to move fashion forward and to let go of some old thinking and to be more open to where the world is going,” he says. “That’s what all fashion designers are trying to do, but I have my specifics about not trying to exclude people. Trying to be really thoughtful about what can bring people more confidence in their life and how in general, the more confident people are the better people are in the world. If someone is happy, they give out positivity.”

This, he says, takes a bit of boldness.

“If you’re going to try to resurrect an iconic house, you gotta throw some gasoline on that,” he says with a laugh.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tK%2FMqWWcp51kuqKzwLOgp52jZMC1xcueZqWtqKq%2FunvAq6uim5yafHR%2BkW1ubmlfosKouMSrqmabkaiyunnCmpuwmZyhrqWx0WadmquYnryveceorKydo2K5prPAnLBmmqKWu6W%2FjJypnpmknsOmecOiqZ6bpKS%2FbrTArGSdqpWowKawjKSwpaGVYremus2eqQ%3D%3D

---

• ← Previous Post
• Next Post →