Cover Claude Montana Spring 1987 fashion show (Photo by Daniel SIMON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Claude Montana Spring 1987 fashion show (Photo by Daniel SIMON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
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The incendiary French fashion guru, who passed away last February 23, was known for spearheading the popular “shoulder-pad look”
Claude Montana amassed a legacy of business-inspired looks composed of extreme silhouettes and padded shoulders. The designer passed away last February 23 in his home country of France. He was among a roster of fellow Parisian avant-garde couturiers such as Thierry Mugler, Jean Paul Gaulthier and Azzedine Alaïa, among others.
Those familiar with his work describe Montana’s signature style as alien compared to traditionally feminine structures. He transformed his models into statuesque “glamazons” on the runway, incorporating heavily saturated elements of androgyny and extravagance. Striking and formidably hip, his creations set the tone for couture in the Eighties and Nineties, inspiring future generations of sartorial talents.
Tatler looks at five examples of the designer’s revolutionary oeuvre.
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Structured and subversive
Above A model walks in the Claude Montana Spring 1986 Ready to Wear Runway Show (Photo: Guy Marineau/Penske Media via Getty Images)
A model walks in the Claude Montana Spring 1986 Ready to Wear Runway Show (Photo: Guy Marineau/Penske Media via Getty Images)
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A symbol of empowering business chic and an epitome of 1980s fashion, shoulder pads give the wearer an illusion of having a broader frame. Montana’s signature flair gave the trend a modernised and feminine spin, though sometimes, they seemed aggressive and exaggerated.
Leather on leather
Above Supermodel Tyra Banks modelling a Claude Montana leather dress (Photo: Michel Arnaud/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)
Supermodel Tyra Banks modelling a Claude Montana leather dress (Photo: Michel Arnaud/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)
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In the latter half of the 20th century, we’ve witnessed the rise of leather in both the couture world and every day. This all-leather ensemble worn by Tyra Banks in 1993 transforms the supermodel into a fierce Amazonian figure, an example of Montana’s disposition towards the powerful and the erotic.
Sleek silhouettes
Above Carla Bruni modelling a purple Claude Montana dress (Photo: Michel Arnaud/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)
Carla Bruni modelling a purple Claude Montana dress (Photo: Michel Arnaud/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)
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The rise of the bodycon began around the early 1980s, popularised by both Montana and his contemporary Alaïa. Timeless, form-fitting and ever-so-flattering, the look is still a staple fashion piece today. In the image above, Carla Bruni wears a sleek purple number with a clean-cut bob and patent leather gloves.
Fabulous in fur
Above A model posing in a Claude Montana fur coat (Photo by Daniel SIMON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
A model posing in a Claude Montana fur coat (Photo by Daniel SIMON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
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A precursor to the mob wife trend currently dominating social media feeds, this look is proof of Montana’s aptitude for exaggerated cuts and subdued maximalism. It’s unpretentious, chic and standard Parisian.
Don’t miss: The rise of the Mob Wife aesthetic
Oversized and opulent
Above Claude Montana Spring 1981 Ready to Wear Advance Preview, Part 2 (Photo by Fairchild Archive/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images)
Claude Montana Spring 1981 Ready to Wear Advance Preview, Part 2 (Photo by Fairchild Archive/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images)
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Donned by his era’s prominent figures, such as Princess Diana and Winona Ryder, the oversized jacket is as comfortable as it is a classic. Some of Montana’s early work included these relaxed but architectural pieces—predecessors to his more structured styles.
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About
Julianna has been interested in leading a literary life since she first read Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess at eight. Before working with Tatler, she was an archive intern at The Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, New York. She is a textbook Pisces who devotes most of her spare time to her crochet projects, watching classic films, and going through her never-ending pile of unread books. She studied creative writing, global literature and art history at Sarah Lawrence College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2022. Toni Morrison, Nora Ephron, Clarice Lispector and Jia Tolentino are among her all-time favourite writers.
Work
Julianna writes about fashion, beauty, sustainability, and the arts. She is always keen on conducting interviews with talented women who are changing the game in their respective fields.
For event invites and story leads, hit her up at julianna.cabili@tatlerasia.com
