Mugler SS '21 Show Brought Sexy Back Thanks To Bella, Hunter, And Co.

Mugler brought sexy back to fashion with the premiere of its Spring Summer 2021 show’s second video. The latter half of the collection, however, wasn’t just your standard run-of-the-mill runway show; it was a star-studded extravaganza that’s got the entire fashion world buzzing.

The drive to slip into slinky dresses and figure-hugging trousers was one that Casey Cadwallader seems to have banked on for the season. Indeed, as vaccinations slowly increase and our favorite restaurants and venues start to reopen, we’ll likely want to ditch our sweats and sneakers in favor of outfits that are, understatedly, hot. Mugler’s checked this box multiple times with this collection, which was presented in a “no-holds-barred” six-minute-long video.

Directed in Long Island, Cadwallader gathered a cast of fashion’s most daring and dynamic personalities—as well as some runway show regulars—to take the future by storm. The collection was inspired by how comic book heroines would dress as Mugler it girls, with a focus on challenging beauty norms. This was partially achieved by untraditional filming; most shots are presented backwards, upside down, or in fast forward with dark, shadowy lighting. However, the effect was mastered through the show’s diverse cast of high-wattage femme fatales.

Indeed, Mugler’s show felt like a who’s-who of the modeling industry, strutting and posing with looks that could kill. Bella Hadid wore skintight jeans and a minimalist black bandeau. Irina Shayk served it up in a sheer-paneled blazer dress that left little to the imagination. Alek Wek dazzled in a pale yellow cutout top and low-slung trousers, accentuated with sheer gloves. Soo Joo Park even returned to the runway, in a sharply-draped dress and one dramatic, elbow-length glove.

However, it wasn’t just models that commanded attention. Pose actress Dominique Jackson slinked and strutted in a barely-there black bodysuit accessorized with a blazer and a smirk, as well as a sheer yellow cutout dress, while Euphoria actress Hunter Schaefer looked every bit the glamorous heroine in a sheer, off-the-shoulder pink and black crystal-detailed dress—the latest iteration of the “naked dress” for the Gen Z set—which was doused with water. She also wore a black bodysuit, which looked tailor-made for the red carpet. Performers like Kembra Pfahler, Eartheater, and Patia Borja were additional members of the show’s cast who provided additional sultry and striking moments.

The clothing itself was typical of Mugler: sexy with a futuristic edge. There were broad-shouldered blazers, numerous asymmetric and plunging necklines, slouchy low-rise denim, and ruched and gathered pencil skirts and jersey dresses. Mugler’s fondness for architecture was further shown in modern material usage; illusion tulle formed skintight swim tops, denim was spliced with up-cycled Lycra, and phantom hourglass silhouettes were a lovely reference to the namesake designer’s love of exaggerated shapes. Even the color palettes were out-of-this-world cool, mixing black and white with hues of vermillion, bright green, acid yellow, sky blue, and a deep cherry red. Added details from iridescent crystals and light wave prints were the icing on the cake, fully accentuating the show’s electric energy.

The show’s unique blend of women on the runway particularly highlighted one value: everyone—no matter their age, body type, or race—takes pride in looking good, and not just for others…but for themselves. It’s clear that Cadwallader has found his footing as the brand’s leader, whose futuristic aesthetic is part of a new wave of subversive designers like Givenchy’s Matthew Williams, LaQuan Smith, and Blumarine’s Nicola Brogano (we’d imagine his customer has all of their pieces in her walk-in). Paired with a sexy Mugler wardrobe—plus height-defying stiletto pumps and piped stockings made by Wolford—the show’s inclusive cast was a smash hit, officially bringing Fashion Month to a close and welcoming the new Spring ’21 season.

See more of the collection below: