Fashion of Madonna

Madonna with aJean-Paul Gaultierpiece; it became a museum piece,and one of her most emulated outfits.

American singer-songwriterMadonnahas been considered afashion and style iconbyfashion journalismand other sectors. Fashion critics, designers and scholars have examined her influence in fashion from different stages, defining views on her public image and cultural significance. Her connection with the community was once labeled asymbioticrelationship, while her industry ventures include owningfashion brandsand appearing ateventssuch as theMet Gala.

Madonna has collaborated with an array of people from the community, including designers, photographers and stylists. She became amusefor many of them, and during theMTV Generation,her in-depth involved collaborative friendships were credited with making routine collaborations between artists and designers, and for helping reinforce the connection with thefashion and musicindustries further than before for different reasons. Madonna was also credited with boosting the careers of various designers, including then-emerging to as well-established ones. Some people from the industry have cited Madonna as a career influence. She became the first musician on the covers ofThe Big Four,and underAnna Wintour's control, Madonna became her first musical artist to grace aVoguecover in1989after a notable time with a focus on fashionmodels.

Over decades, Madonna set various trends, and aspects of her styles, looks, and clothing influenced public, designers and other entertainers of different generations. Madonna's photoshoots and personal belongings have been displayed in museums and other exhibitions around the world. Unconventional compared to enduring glamorous icons, others have noted a significant absence ofhigh fashiondiscussions. Madonna appeared on industry lists of the best and worst dresses. She also earned a reputation as a fashion provocateur, receiving criticisms from the religious sector, and from other organizations. Her provocative fashion statements, mixed withshock valuereceived further criticism as she aged. Madonna has been also included in a number of all-time lists focused on musicians or individuals' fashion impact, includingTime's All-TIME 100 Fashion Icons, Style and Design (2012). In her prime bothVogueandKarl Lagerfeldnamed her the "single greatest fashion influence in the world", whileJean-Paul Gaultiercalled her "the biggest fashion icon" in early 2010s. Madonna received variousawardsfor her fashion, including the first Versace Award fromVH1 Fashion Awardsin 1998.

Overview

Background

Many authors have traced Madonna's relationship with fashion back to her childhood. Without realizing it, her father influenced her fashion awareness with thedress codeimposed in her strict Catholic upbringing, seeing "how potent a certain way of dress could be".Some have pointed out that Madonna saw clothes as a tool of rebellion from early on.Mary Crossdescribed that after losing her mother, she "deliberately wore mismatched socks and clothes" as she refused to wear the identical outfits in which housekeeper-turned-stepmother Joan Gustafson liked to dress them.She continued to express herself through fashion as a student, without shaving her underarms and not wearing make-up.Mark Begofelt she "pioneered" new ways to get noticed on the school playground with her style and attitude.

Critical vindication

[Madonna] forged a symbiotic relationship with the fashion community the moment she burst onto the scene in the '80s, setting trends and playingmuseto countless designers.

—Janelle Okwodu fromVogue(2021).

In 2014, associate professor José Blanco wrote thatfashion critics,designersand scholars have examined her influence in fashion.In 2018, Louise Gray ofi-Dheld that she "has come under scrutiny for her outfits over the best part of four decades".Some reviewers have credited her sense of style and its evolution, as a key to her "significance" and "success", including an editor fromImagein 2018.In addition, Madonna was called afashion icon,as well a fashion idol,influenceror style icon.In 2005, scholarCamille Pagliadescribed "she has become a fashion icon more than a music pioneer".

Her relationship with fashion industry was described as "symbiotic"by publications includingVogue.In early 2000s, American costume designerArianne Phillipsreferred to the "unique relationship Madonna has with fashion and fashion has with Madonna".

Fashion sense

Madonna is known for her ever-changing style, often shortened as "reinvention".

Madonna's usage and development of her fashion sense both on and off-stage have been discussed. InOh Fashion(1994) by professorsShari Benstockand Suzanne Ferriss, it was referred that fashion is something "inseparable from heraestheticpractices ", and this includes several" cultural interventions "such as hermusic videos,films,TV appearances orconcertsin order to cultivate her image.Writing forThe Journal of Popular Culturein 2015, scholar José Blanco considered she uses clothes as a "cultural signifier to communicate her personadu jour".

For many, her looks and style were "at the center" of her staging and creative performances.While working with Madonna, costume designerMarlene Stewartcommented in 1990, that for costumes the singer thinks in terms of story and character.Arianne Phillipsalso remarked on her "ability to create characters and tell a story through costumes".An observer also stated that she has extensively explored the roles she wishes to play when she grows up through clothing ever since.In 1997,New Yorkmagazine called her self-exploration through fashion as "unprecendented" which mixes elements and explores "Western cultural history".Writing forVoguein 2023,Christian Allaireacknowledged her "fashion eras" and said like a "true artist", she sees what she wears as trueperformance art.Madonna referred to fashion sense in various settings; in 2007, she told the press: "I've made no secret of my love for fashion and trends".Laura Tortora fromVogue Italiafelt how her interview withJ. Randy Taraborrelliin 1983, reveals she was "aware" of her "great potential" which prompted to conclude she would make a legacy, not only in music, but also in "the history of costume".

Styles

Madonna (in1987,1993and2023respectively) has explored different styles, from costumes in the sense ofkitschandcampto masculine pieces and androgynous imagery, as well asthrift shop,street,high fashionand dirtbag-chic.

The evolution of her styles and looks have been "documented through the years".It was described as an "expansive catalogue of looks".Erin Skarda fromTimeonce praised her "control of her look[s]".By 1990, Stewart gives Madonna almost full credit for "creating" her clothing style.French fashion magazineCrashsaid that she is known for having "extravagant taste" when it comes to style on stage.

Justyna Stępień from theUniversity of Łódźdescribed her work and style as a representation of theCamp-Litephenomenon.J. Randy Taraborrelliwrote thatreligious symbolsbecame a crucial part of her fashion.Sydney Nowak ofKOSTnoted she brings a tinge ofgrungeto various outfits.She wore long dresses several times in the mid-1990s.Among the different aesthetics explored by Madonna, arecowgirl,ghetto fabulous,military, masculine pieces and androgynous imagery.She has also sportedthrift shoplooks,andhigh fashion.In early 2020s,Voguenoted her off-stage aesthetic of "dirtbag-chic" style.She has also paid tribute through clothes to other women such asMarilyn Monroe,Marie AntoinetteandEva Perón.

Activities and work references

Madonna singing "Vogue"in herThe MDNA Tour.An editor ofTimecalled it as perhaps "the most fashion song of all time".

Madonna attended to variousMet Gala,with her first being in 1997.She also participated in a number offashion runways,includingJean-Paul Gaultier's 1992amfARrunway where it showed atoplessMadonna; the staff ofBillboardincluded that moment among "the most iconic moments in the history of fashion, music or breasts".She closed the Gaultier 1995 Spring Collection, wearing a slip dress and pushing an antique baby carriage from which she lifted a young pup.Back in 1992, Madonna participated in aDolce and Gabbanarunway show, and American fashion historianValerie Steeleconsidered it publicized their friendship.

AnnaSophia RobbatMadonna's Fashion Evolutions(2013) exhibition at Macy's.

Fashion connotations of her works have been addressed. In 2011, Thomas R. Harrison, an associate professor atJacksonville University,wrote "Vogue"showcased her" knowledge "of the professional fashion industry.For Allison Berry fromTimemagazine, this single is perhaps "the most fashion song of all time"; Berry also noted that with thespoken wordStrike a Poseshe pays tribute to fashion icons of Hollywood.British authorLucy O'Briennoticed that "Dress You Up"uses fashion as a metaphor, as is sung" by a woman clearly addicted to clothes ".The video of "American Life"was seen as a reflection ofanti-fashionindustry statements.

Madonna toldKim Kardashianduring the premiere of her documentary filmMadame X(2021) that she has preserved many of her outfits and her fashion archive is located in Brooklyn.In 2013, Madonna hand-picked pieces from her fashion archives, and contributed toMadonna's Fashion Evolutions,apop-up exhibitionon the history of fashion archival at Macy's curated and styled by Arianne Phillips. The singer declared: "... exhibition will give my fans a great opportunity to see the evolution of my style over the years".

Criticisms and ambiguities

The Queen of Pop is known for creating fashion moments that were either full of controversial matter or pushed the needle forward when it comes to the conversation of fashion.

—Jacorey Moon ofYahoo(2021).

Authors ofThe 1980s(2007), suggested "Madonna's influence on fashion eclipsed her music".Back in 1990, Barbara Foley fromLos Angeles Times,held she received better commentaries for her fashion sense than any of her other roles.

Madonna built a reputation as a fashion provocateur, as Megan Friedman fromEllenoted in 2016, she has "spent decades wearing outrageous outfits and stoking controversy".Bimini Bon Boulashnoted and referred to the "countless articles" on Google's results for her "most shocking outfits of all time".American criticChristopher Glazekalso commented that her costume changes "attracted harassment from tabloid moralists".It intensified while aging.InToo Much(2020), author said "Madonna is perhaps the most famous example of a woman rigorously censured for dressing provocatively".Madonna also received criticism for herreligious-mixed fashion,and at some stage of her career from animal rights groups likePETA,including in 2006 and 2007.In 2004, rabbiShmuley Boteachcriticized Madonna for helping create a "tragic world" among American adolescent girls with her fashion.

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Jean-Paul Gaultierdressed Madonna witha brathat exposed her nipples in front of a 6,000-person audience in 1992. It's considered one of her most controversial looks.

Friedman, however, commenting about her "too-revealing" outfits as an aged woman, opined is how Madonna is, so some "shock value"is to be expected.For Lauren Alexis Fisher ofHarper's Bazaar,she "mastered the art of shocking people through fashion".In 2022, Jacorey Moon from Yahoo similarly agree that she always creates eye-catching fashion moments.To Laura Craik ofThe Daily Telegraph,Madonna has been "brazen and unapologetic", but found it paved the way for a host of female performers to take to the stage wearing liberating, provocative costumes that defined their sexuality on their own terms.On the other hand, Pamela Church Gibson ofLondon College of Fashionnoted a significant absence of academic discussion around her figure within the pantheon ofhigh fashion.

Worst and best dressed rankings

Madonna has been included in media polls for worst and best dressed over the years. She was simultaneously included in both categories ofRolling Stone's annual polls in 1985,and inSpin's first annual readers poll in 1989, where she was ranked first in both categories. The magazine staff declared: "Madonna: Breaking down the boundaries of good and bad taste".In 1999,Vogueincluded her in the 100 Best Dressed List,while she tied withCheronPeople's Hall of Fame of the worsts dressed, with seven appearance each until 2004.She also appeared atRichard Blackwell's Worst Dressed list (created in 1960), topping the 1992 list, and with fashion critic referring to her a "bare-bottomed bore of Babylon".For particular events, she was also ranked in media polls, including among the worst dressed during the 2016 Met Gala, which she defined as a fashion political statement.

Collaborations and friendship with fashion designers

From left to right: Madonna withJean-Paul Gaultierduring theRebel Heart Tour(2016) and withJeremy Scottat the 2017Met Gala.

She became the face of variousfashion campaignsand a muse to other designers.In 2021,Euronews/Reutersnoted her collaborations within different designer labels in her "lengthy career".According toWomen's Wear Daily,then-rumored featuring costume pieces from 14 designers atRe-Invention World Tourwould represent an "industry record".

Regarding her long-time collaborative friendship with Gaultier, fashion journalistTim Blanksretrospectively called the duo as "the quintessential rock star-fashion designer relationship" with a "mutually beneficial connection".Tom Rasmussen fromDazedstated in 2018: "Gaultier and Madonna made each other in so many ways. She gave him international notoriety, while he gave her cone-shaped breasts".Paloma Herce ofHarper's Bazaargoes on to say that the singer-designertandemhad never made more sense with them.

Madonna's impact on designer careers

[Madonna has] boosting the careers of established as well as up-and-coming designers. In short, she dominated the fashion world as well as the pop world.

—Christopher Turner (2021).

Publications and authors noted and discussed how Madonna impacted various designers' careers during the height of career. In 2018, Mexican newspaperEl Universalcredited her for boosting the career of "several" then-emerging designers likeOlivier Theyskens,as well how others fromTom FordtoRick Owens,"benefited" from dressing her.Other publications have endorsed same or other examples, including Gaultier.With regard to Theyskens,Fashionmagazine stated in 2019 that she essentially put him "on the map".Arianne PhillipstoldDaphne Merkinin 2011, "she's eclipsed my career".In sum, Laura Craik fromThe Daily Telegraphcommented in 2018, that Madonna's patronage was guaranteed to catapult designers to the next level, whether they were a fledgling designer or a well-established one.

Madonna and her then-boyfriend, American model-actorTony Wardin 1990.

Madonna also impacted some fashion house' brands.Dolce & Gabbana"received their first international recognition thanks" to Madonna, according to independent scholar Juliana Tzvetkova,and author Brian Moeran wrote inThe Magic of Fashion(2016), that she "catapulted the designer duo into the limelight".They said about her: "Madonna has always been our icon. It’s thanks to her that a lot of things in our lives changed".InHouse of Versace(2010), Deborah Ball discussed Madonna's impact onVersace,saying the 1995 ads featuring her were "breakthrough", creating an association between the house and celebrities that garnered endless press coverage. After Madonna, Ball comments,Donatelladrafted one celebrity after another.Nikolay Anguelov from theUniversity of Massachusetts,made a similar observation, saying that whenGiannihired Madonna for their 1995 campaign, it was a time when the employment of celebrities as models was not common, and thereafter it became not only common, but preferred.Others have addressed Madonna's impact on brands such asChloéandGucci.Madonna helped gave hype in her generation to brand shoes from designers such asManolo Blahnik,andChristian Louboutin.

She has had relationships with models such asTony WardandJesus Luz,which have benefited their careers, according to the media. FromAsian News InternationaltoThe New York Times,they addressed Madonna's impact on Luz's career.Andy Lecompte, herhairstylist,toldRefinery29about the benefits of working with Madonna in his career.

Attributed effects in the industry

Women's Wear Daily's Kristopher Fraser recalls examples previous Madonna of singer/designer relationship and fashion houses, but noted "Madonna is widely credited with transforming" it.One of them, is Marissa Muller fromMTVwho commented that before artists and brand collaborations were an every news item, Madonna was "bridging the worlds of music and fashion" with these alliances.Although there were precursors, the same editor writing forWcredited her as the first artist to make collaborations between designers "routine".

British cultural historianStephen Gundlegone further claiming that Madonna's collaborations with fashion designers "inspired a whole series of developments in popular music and entertainment", further saying that "new synergies occurred between different sectors".Jacob Bernstein fromThe New York Timesmade similar connotations, stating that Madonna opened a "standard operating procedure" but with stylists. He noted how a new generation of singers and actresses gotstylists of their own,even ranked annually byThe Hollywood Reporter.

Fashion and artistic photography

Aside from fashion designers, Madonna has closely worked with variousfashion,fine-artphotographers andportraits.Photographic criticVince Alettidescribed it as "rich creative relationships".InMadonna: Like an Icon(2007),Lucy O'Briendescribed how various of them used Madonna as their muse.Before fame, she worked as anude modelinart schoolsfor photographers such asMartin SchreiberandLee Friedlander.She also forged collaborative friendships with directors and videomakers.

To Aletti, "photographic image has been at the forefront of Madonna's rise to iconic status".He said, Madonna doesn't merely pose for photographers likeHerb Ritts,Steven MeiselandMario Testino,she explicitly collaborates in the process.For French academicGeorges-Claude Guilbert,after Madonna, the possibilities offered by the global village were never so "astutely exploited".She was regarded as one of the most photographed women in her generation,with at some point, sources likeThe British Journal of Photographyin 2006, called her as perhaps "the most photographed woman in the world".

Photo exhibitions

Madonna's photos have been displayed in galleries or museums likeNational Portrait Gallery, London(pictured).

Many of Madonna's photoshoots have been displayed inarts festivals,pop-up exhibitions,galleries and other multimedia exhibitions around the world.In early 1990s, media scholar David Tetzlaff noted how many of her photos were labeled as "art".Madonna's image has been displayed at theNational Portrait Gallery, United Statesby photographs taken byFrancesco Scavullo,Kate Simonand Jeri Heiden,and is represented in theNational Portrait Gallery, Londonby five photographs—two byEric Watsonand Testino each and one by Dafydd Jones.

Some examples in the 21st century include Schreibers' Madonna nude photos as part of the 2009Brighton Fringefestival.They also went on display at the Australian Color Factory in 2016 under the titleThe Madonna Nudes II,as well as the 2022IsetanexhibitionStar Portrait: Young Marilyn and Madonna.Richard CormaninstalledMadonna – A Transformational Exhibitionin 2013, which was a multimedia tour of Madonna's photographs taken by himself and displayed atW Hotelsacross the world.

In 2016, a Spanish exhibition namedMadonna. El nacimiento de un mitowas on display featuring her photos taken by Deborah Feingol,Peter Cunninghamand George DuBose.The 50-photo exhibition was presented at cultural centerLa Térmica,and it included two videos from two artists, an artwork bySilvia Prada,and an installation where the audience "can be Madonna".In 2022, Japanese photographer Kenji Wakasugi exhibitedMadonna - 1985 par Kenji Wakasugiat Galerie de l'Instant in France.In September 2023, Italian photographic duo, Luigi & Iango exhibited "Unveiled" at theRoyal Palace of Milan,having many photos of celebrities and with an entire room dedicated to Madonna.

Impact on some photographers/videographers

Madonna has a long history with film. It's not her acting career that distinguishes the pop star, but her uncanny ability to spot up-and-coming directors before they've hit it big.

—Abby Dupes,Town & Country(2021).

A number of publications and photographers (and directors) themselves commented on the impact of Madonna on their careers, with authors Howie Singer and Bill Rosenblatt commenting she gave them "a higher profile and bigger budget opportunities".

In 2004, fashion journalistKatie Grandnoted constant references of Madonna in the works ofMert and Marcus.Mario Testinostated he became known outside of his business.In a conversation withNigel Farndale,he further explained that she was the first non-model to collaborate with him and credited: "With her I knew I had discovered my style".

RegardingSteven Meisel,an author described his photographs of Madonna "put him in the public eye and increased his popularity".The photographer himself credited her when shoot "The Beast Within" in 2004: "Now it's commonplace, but at that time, shooting film and stills simultaneously was kind of unexpected. Madonna pushed me to do that, in a way, because she would never really give me more than one day to do anything. I owe her my film career, in that sense".Similarly, Madonna persuadedHerb Rittsto make hisvideographydebut, and finally directed her video "Cherish".Ritts toldAmerican Photoin 1989, "I don't know the first thing about video", admits, "but Madonna kept hounding me to do one for her, so I figured I'd give it a try".Portuguese-born Paris-based fashion photographer, Ricardo Gomes, became a frequent collaborator since 2019, and credited the singer to push him.

Cover girl

See also:Madonna in media

Madonna onMusic Connectionmagazine cover for March 1985

Madonna also made an impact in the industry with hermagazinecovers as acover/pin-upgirl. American pop culture editorMatthew Rettenmundopined that she "made the act of being on the cover of a magazine into anart form"taking her covers" seriously ".InHollywood Goes Shopping(2000),David Desserand Garth Jowett commented that she exploited the "model-like" look variegation.In 2021, aVogueeditor proclaimed in a headline that "she still as the ultimateVoguecover star ".In 2020, Charlie Gowans-Eglinton, fashion editor ofThe New Zealand Heraldreflected about her early influence naming her a "poster girl", while acknowledges her continued presence on magazine covers as an aged pop star.

Achievements

Madonna has achieved various feats in the sector. She is the first femaleentrepreneurto grace aForbescover according to themselves.Madonna became the inaugural cover for publications such asSpin(1985), Greek magazinePop Corn(1985) andShockfrom Colombia (1995).She was also the inaugural cover girl ofGlamour'sWomen of the Yearissues.It's believed that Gaultier was the first designer to be featured on a magazine cover when he appeared onGlamouralong with Madonna in 1990, according to an article from Madonna's official website.

UnderAnna Wintour's control, she became her first singer to bepictured on the cover ofVogue,marked after a notable focus on models.Madonna also became the first singer to grace the covers ofThe Big Fourand the only one untilRihannamatched this in 2021.In 2021, Madonna was the inaugural issue forL'OfficielIbiza.About this collaboration, the magazine commented: "This project was born to pay a tribute to a contemporary icon who has defined, influenced and informed today's culture and aesthetics through her music and style".In 2022, Madonna was part of the first-everNFTmagazine covers designed by an NFT artist afterBillboardpartnership with World of Women.In January 2023, Madonna made the inaugural cover forVanity Fair's European special issues "Icon" that cover their Italian, French and Spanish editions.The annual issue was made to celebrate the stars who "contribute[s] to shape the modern culture".

Madonna also appeared more than any other person on the covers ofInterviewandVanity Fair.She is the international female artist with most cover appearances in Spanish magazineShangay(8).Madonna is the female artist with the mostcover appearances onRolling Stoneeither alone or including "collage" photoshoots, according to themselves.She was also the first female figure on a cover for their special issues "Collectors edition".As of 2009, Madonna was the 10th person with mostPeoplecover magazines (13).

Impact in the sector and depictions

Madonna on her firstVoguecover (May 1989).

Though there existed magazines likeHarper's Bazaarfeaturing movie stars on their covers (including Madonna back in1988),as well other musicians donned magazines covers long before her, South African websiteNews24,explained that it may be "hard to believe", but there was a time when models preferably donned the covers ofglossy magazineswhile celebrities/singers made their appearance on the pages inside. This was regarded as the norm, until Anna Wintour arrived atVogueand put Madonna on the cover ofVogue,instead of a model, the website concludes.That decision was predicted to be a failure and received criticism from journals likeThe New York Times,according toEl País.Wintour herself, declared that having Madonna was considered controversial at that time.Back in 1999,Alex KuczynskifromThe New York Timesdedicated an article where it was discussed how celebrities were changing the old-time-focus of models onwomen's magazinecovers, including commentaries made by Wintour andAllure's founderLinda Wells.

El Paísexplained that most of those magazines, includingVogue,began shifting more to young readers and Wintour was also trying to put Madonna to show the variety of where fashion comes from and reflect what is happening in the culture.In the process, as notedNew Yorkmagazine in 1999, Wintour received criticisms for madeVogue"too commercial", but they also found various of these magazines increased their circulation print.Editor Ben Widdicombe explained that fashion magazines of that time "provide a uniquely quantifiable gauge for the rise of celebrity influence" concluding that "everything changed" when Madonna appeared on the covers of British and AmericanVoguein 1989.

Journalists fromHank Stuever(Washington Post) toEmily Nussbaum(New York) have elaborated articles highlighting her magazine covers.Rettenmund also created alisticleforLogo TVin 2018, and in 2014 for his own blog, BoyCulture, of her greatest and essential magazine covers, respectively.Jann S. Wennerincluded her in the bookRolling Stone 50 Years of Covers(2018).

Fashion trends

A wax statue representing her "Open Your Heart"-style. Madonna is reported to popularize/revive thebustierusage in her generation.

Over the course of various decades, Madonna earned a reputation as a fashion trendsetter. InHollywood Goes Shopping(2000),David Desserand Garth Jowett named her a "perpetual fashion" trendsetter.The reputation drastically changed turning the 21st century, although editors from some fashion magazines includingBritishVogue,Elleand AmericanVoguereferred she continued to hold the status.In 2000, American fashion scholarHarold Kodaexplained her effect on public, saying she helped garments enter into "cultural consciousness".The same year, Kal Ruttenstein fromBloomingdale'sdescribes that her influence "validates".In 1990, fashion editorRobin Givhandedicated an article where explored how many followed her style, saying "It's the trickle-down effect that is so scary — the vast power that Madonna wields over the styles of the masses".

Critical commentaries

There are few musical artists who can say they began their career by simultaneously igniting a whole new fashion craze, but it's precisely what the singer did back in 1983.

—Christian Allaire,Vogue(2023).

Multiple fashion magazines noted how some trends initiated or propelled by Madonna have either remained or emerged again years later. On this, an editor ofL'Officielcommented in 2020, that she marked "real periods".In 2015,Harper's Bazaaralso mentioned "she cemented looks that remain culturally significant today".In 2021, Daisy Maldonado fromYahoo!described how she "catapulted trends we still wear today", prompting to add "world still following her trends".The same year, Carmen Martínez Pita fromCosmopolitanexplored trends propelled by Madonna that are still in use.In 2023,Vanity FairItalia analyzed Madonna's trends of a 40-year career through her hair, described as aHairpedia,saying some of them still being sported.Design historianJennifer Grayer Moore, delineates Madonna as a "catalyst for myriad long-lived fashion trends".

Selected examples

See also:Madonna and religion § Religious symbolisms as fashion

A person with aMadonna piercing,alip piercingthat mimics Madonna's beauty spot

Madonna was a conduit to propel some existing or previous accessories and styles, with fashion editorRobin Givhancommenting on the point, "although she's not the originator of such styles [...] she has brought them into the mainstream".Therefore, credits includelingerieas daywear,or popularizing thebustierfashion look.A number of publications have cited Madonna as the catalyst for starting theunderwear as outerweartrend into the mainstream, including Givhan andVogue.In 2015,Harper's Bazaarcommented that "pop stars still swear by her underwear-worn-as-outerwear look".

Madonna helped to propel theponytailstyle in her generation, as she wore a sky-high blonde ponytail during her Blond Ambition World Tour in 1990. An observer said: "I think that totally transformed how people saw the style, and absolutely launched its renaissance in fashion".According to Beth Shapouri fromGlamour,Madonna's Blond Ambition ponytail is easily one of the most iconic hairstyles of all time.InSociology(2013), authors explained she helped pioneered a new style of celebrity involvinggenderbending.

Madonna also found impact using Asian fashion imagery in her early decades. AcademicsDouglas Kellnerand Rhonda Hammer, concurred that "although Madonna did not initiate theIndian fashionaccessories beauty ", she did propel it into the public eye by attracting the attention of the worldwide media.ProfessorChristopher Partridge,similarly observed that "since Madonna first put Indian cultural symbols on the global fashion map, henna, bindis and Indian sartorial designs have become part of the global culture". Partridge, further adds that Madonna "ensured the Hindu invasion of Western popular musical space and made South Asian popular culture globally visible".Other authors like academic Madhulika S. Khandelwal, have cited Madonna as an important medium for popularizingmehndi(henna tattoos) in the 1990s.

Retail and campaigns

Shortly after her debut, Madonna inspired clothing and beauty products. Her forays would eventually include herown fashion brandsby late 2000s. In mid-1980s, manufacturers, including a company called 1045 Park Avenue, began to produceMTV-inspired fashion with key aspects of Madonna looks at that time.Fashion designerMaripolalso ran a boutique in the East Village, New York City, called "Maripolitan" where some items were officially licensed by Madonna. Its selling and distribution was limited to the city.Madonna signed a merchandising deal with a clothing manufacturer called Entertainers Merchandise Management Corp. and they operated under the name of Wazoo fashions. In turn, Wazoo distributed official Madonna clothes to department stores across the country, includingBullock'sandMerry-Go-Roundstores in shopping malls.In 1985,Macy'sopened up the department store "Madonnaland" selling clothes modeled after Madonna's style.Many other retailers followed suit.The release of the movieEvita(1996), inspired clothing and accessories bySalvatore Ferragamo,cosmetics fromEstée Lauder,and clothing in nineBloomingdale'sshops.

Lipsticks

Threelipstickshave been created for Madonna.Laura Merciercreated the lipstick "M" for her filmEvita(1996).The singer gave Mercier permission to market the shade as "Madonna Lip Color" becoming the first time she has allowed her name to be attached to a cosmetic product.Make Up For Everand make-up artist Gina Brooke created the "Aqua Rogue/Iconic Red" (shade #8) for Madonna to wear on herMDNA Tourin 2012,embraced by celebrities likeTaylor Swiftaccording toElle.Poppy Kingbelieves that Madonna "ushered red lipstick back in as a symbol of strength" and of "glamorous rebellion".

Russian Red(MAC Cosmetics): The "Russian Red" is the lipstick created byMAC Cosmetics,to wear on herBlond Ambition World Tourin 1990.Joanne Gaircalled it the bespoke MAC shade.The singer is credited with making it popular,and an editor extensively explored how it made an impact for the Canadian brand.According to various fashion-targeted magazines in the 2010s and 2020s, it went to become a bestseller and still stands strong after decades.Allurecommented "it's been a cult classic ever since",while Paloma Abad fromVogueSpain called it as "one of the seven cosmetic wonders.

Fashion dolls

A Madonna fashion doll inspired in one of her outfits of the Blond Ambition World Tour

Author Bruce Wexler explained that "fashion icons such as Jackie Kennedy and Madonna have also inspired Barbies clothes".According toABC News,in the 1980sBarbie"made a strong fashion statement" wearing outrageous, over-the-top outfits "inspired by MTV and Madonna".ProfessorAnn duCillecommented about a time when Madonna "transformed underwear into outerwear" while Barbie also took to the streets in such clothes as see-through bustiers and spandex leggins.

In 1987, authorCy Schneidernoticed Madonna-inspired looks inJemfashion dolls.MattelItalian collaborators Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi, known as Magia 2000, have portrayed Madonna in several fashion dolls that have been featured in a number of magazines and websites worldwide. They claimed that the singer inspired their foray into this field.

Madonna fashion brands and endorsements

Main article:Madonna fashion brands

A Madonna'sH&Mbillboard in Belgium

Madonna became the face of multiple campaigns of fashion houses. In 1999, she became the face of aMax Factorcampaign.She also became the face of multiplesLouis VuittonandVersacecampaigns.

Madonna also created her own fashion brands. In 2007, she launched in association withH&Ma clothing line called "M by Madonna", the first collection of clothes she designed. According toHindustan Times,she also became the "first celebrity with no designing experience to infiltrate the superstore's shelves".Upon the launch of the "Material Girl" line in 2010, Erin Skarda fromTimemagazine said she stepped up her role in fashion.In 2014, Madonna launched the MDNA Skin, with an editor fromWsaying she helped raise the bar for quality among these celebrities ventures.In 2019, Madonna teamed up with Too Faced for the limited-release of two make-up box sets inspired by her stage looks of theMadame Xera.

Reception

Madonna wearing ared string,on the 2006Confessions Tour

The initial sales of clothing inspired by Madonna throughout late 20th century, impactedretail sales.Authors inDefining Visions(1998) described results by saying: "No pop star had more impact on retail clothing sales than Madonna".Macy's store sold out its Madonna-licensed fashions and jewelry within two days.Amid the height ofMTV Generation,Macy's fashion director said in 1985, that in contrast to fashion-inspired lines of other leading figures, her line was successful "because [she] brought a whole new way of dressing that was a total contrast to the menswear look for women that preceded it".Speaking about Madonna's fashion contests of the era, professorE. Ann Kaplancalled it a "successful exploitation" of her style by clothing companies.In 1996,Laura Mulveysimilarly commented "Madonna's performances make full use of the potential of cosmetics".

Throughout the first two decades of the 21st century, some accessories and fashion items related to Madonna saw a notorious sales increase. Thered stringused inKabbalahgained a surge in sales.RetailerBootsreported a 72% rise in the sales ofhair rollersafter the release of "Hung Up".According toAntoine Arnault,everything worn in Madonna's Spring Summer Campaign forLouis Vuittonin 2009, sold out within months.Madonna's own fashion brands obtained healthysalesas well.

Selected wardrobe pieces and looks

InOh Fashion(1994), by professorsShari Benstockand Suzanne Ferriss, it was said that many of her pieces achieved the status of popular to becoming cultural icons.Through years, publications have elaborated "best Madonna looks" and similar lists, including a list byL'Officielmade in 2020, in which her garments are described as marking the "history of music and fashion".Madonna has also been placed in general-interest lists in music industry, including a list made byGlamourin 2021, of the "iconic fashion moments in music history", appearing twice, including the first spot.In 2023,Christian AllairefromVoguecommented she "has delivered plenty of [...] looks that people still talk about today".The same year,Glamourmagazine stated she has been "at the forefront of many of the most memorable pop culture moments of the last 50+ years".

Like a Virgin-era dress

In 2019, American journalistLyndsey Parkercommented for Yahoo! that her performance at the1984 MTV Video Music Awardscatapulted the singer to "superstar status", and its costume played a foremost role, as it seemed many girls in the United States wanted to be Madonna (or a "Madonnabe" ). She defined the moment by saying: "No one had ever seen anything like it at the time".Parker further notes that "it remains such a signature look" that Madonna has referenced it in other performances.

• 
  A depiction of the dress at theHard Rock Cafe(USA)
• 
  Another depiction at the Hard Rock Cafe (USA)

White dress at the 1991 Academy awards

In 2019,Her Worldincluded the dress among Madonna's looks that "have influenced a generation of pop singers".According to Californian newspaperLa Opinión,the1991 Academy Awardsmarked a milestone in the history of thered carpet,when Madonna and Michael Jackson arrived together.

• 
  Bob Mackie's dress at "Madonna's Fashion Evolutions" (2013)

Madonna's Jean-Paul Gaultier pink conical-bra corset (Blond World Tour Ambition 1990)

So much more than just a 'moment', Madonna's groundbreaking cone bra encouraged generations of female pop performers to embrace their sexuality on stage via their sartorial choices.

—Glamour(2021)

According to theNational Geographic Society"it quickly became one of many iconic looks associated with" her.ToTim Blanks,Madonna in her Gaultier cone-bra "is one of the most unforgettable images of the entire decade" (the 1990s).Another Magazine's Jack Moss called it "an image of true pop culture ubiquity".It was suggested to be arguably Madonna's most seminal look,while Bryan Goh ofHer World,said that entire look "has gone on to achievecult status".

The cone bra has been described as more than just a part of fashion history, or an artefact hanging in a museum according to Liam Hess ofVogue,who said "its legacy lies in the very real way in which it has encouraged generations of female pop performers".Albeit the cone bra existed long before Madonna, her associated look has since influenced numerous fashion designers and pop stars alike, wrote an editor fromEntertainment Weeklyin 2020.

• 
  "The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk" (2013)
• 
  "The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk" (2014)
• 
  "Génération 80 Experience" (2019) in Belgium
• 
  Conical-bra corset in 3D-version at theKunsthal Rotterdam(NL)

Cultural depictions

Reenactments

See also:Madonna impersonator

Carol Smillieon stage, channeling Madonna's Gaultier cone bra style

Many of her pieces have been recreated or inspired similar ones. According to Joanne Garde-Hansen fromUniversity of Gloucestershirein 2011, Madonna's Gaultier conical bra is one of her most emulated outfits.Some references were compared and seen in numerous events and media, including inHocus PocusbyStephanie Faracyand inspired-likeLady Gaga(2009 MuchMusic Video Awards) orCameron Diaz(photo shoot forVin 2009) among many others.

In 2015, María Mérida fromVoguein its Spanish-language edition, noted the influence of theLike a Virgin-look dress saying that if "one of your looks turns into aHalloween costume,it is because you have achieved something important ", and this style is still one of the most demanded at Halloween parties, Mérida claimed.

At auctions and other exhibitions

In 2021,L'OfficielBrazil described "her style influence has turned her garments into [...] valuable items".TheGuinness World Recordslisted a corset designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier sold atChristie'sin London in May 1994 for $19,360 as the most ever paid for an item of clothing belonging to Madonna.However, numerous pieces of Madonna's clothing have since fetched higher prices. A 2001Sotheby'sonline auction, sold another corset for $24,000, which, according to other publications surpassed the largest paid for a Madonna fashion item.Other pieces such as the jacket worn atDesperately Seeking Susanraised $252,000 and a dress worn at "Vogue" 's video, $179,200.

In 2014, a collection of dresses and outfits worn by Madonna in her music and film career helped a celebrity auction raise $3.2 million.In 2009, an exhibition in London namedSimply Madonna: Materials Of The Girlfeatured 300 outfits, which was reportedly to be the largest collection outside of Madonna's own.In 2010, another exhibitionSimply Madonnawas on display at theMelbourne Fashion Festival,Australia.

Influence and impact

Industrial and conceptual

Madonna's fashion sense and its cultural impact have received both immediate and retrospective discussions. The staff ofBillboardcommented in 2015, that "her sense of style became as influential as her chart-topping tunes".InOh Fashion(1994), it was described: "Madonna's fashion moves generally caught shifts in cultural style and taste".In 2018, Liana Satenstein fromVoguereferred to her "huge impact on the runway and the red carpet over the course of her decades-long career".

Madonna's fashion impact was discussed as an era-defining advent with long-lasting effects. For instance, inMuckraker(2014), researcher Carlos Primo, music critic Javier Blánquez, journalist Daniel Arjona and philosopher Leticia García agree that Madonna paved the road for a new way of understanding the relationship between fashion and show business.Professor Martin S. Remland ofWest Chester Universitysaid when both MTV and Madonna appeared, the marriage of music and fashion became more prominent than ever before.American designerTodd Oldham,was quoted as saying that she was to fashion what theBig Bangtheory is to the creation of the world.Cynthia Robins ofSan Francisco Chroniclefurther adds that "when Madonna came along, all fashion hell broke loose. She established a heady pace".Commentators ranging fromArianne PhillipstoDiane Asitimbayoverall commented in similar terms how fashion significantly changed.Paloma Herce from fashion magazineHarper's Bazaar,in its Spanish-language edition, held she created a "before and after" period.In 2005, Asitimbay stated that Madonna andMichael Jordan"did more for thefashion industry in the United Statesthan many of our fashion models put together ".

On public

Madonna's fashion influence came from diverse sources; authors ofThe 1980s(2007), commented that "she influenced styles in so many ways via her music videos".She also did with tours; with herBlond Ambition World Touralone, Drew Mackie fromPeoplemagazine stated it "helped cement the link between pop costumes and couture".Her influence on public was noted across multiple decades.By 2008,Robert Verdiwas quoted as saying Madonna was like anadjectivein fashion, describing: "Friends will go shopping with each other and say, 'It's so Madonna.' That's what you want in fashion".In similar connotations,Anna Wintourand British author Michael Pye concurred that she "makes fashion happen", with Pye further adding that "she's fashion".Similarly, Mary Sollosi commented forEntertainment Weeklyin 2022, she had an impact on what's in vogue every step of the way.The same year, Amalissa Hall fromTatlersummarized "she's inspired major fashion movements over the years" and at the height of her career, from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s, "whatever she wore, the public followed".Back in 2006, clothing companyH&Mdescribed her "global influence" on how people dress and look as without equal.

Timeline

According to Katya Foreman fromBBC,her impact was eminent amid theyouth cultureof her generation, with a combination of attire and attitude.The most notorious group were young girls, known later as theMadonna wannabeswith an unusually high number of women began to dress like Madonna. Other female singers in theMTV Generationattained fashion impact, but "Madonna's persona and 'look' inspired the greatest fandom", suggested professor Gary Burns inA Companion to Popular Culture(2016).InThe History of Rock and Roll(2012), Stuart Kallen expressed: "Madonna changed the way young women dressed virtually overnight".In reviewing that decade in 1990, Barbara Fole ofLos Angeles Timescalled her "the woman who has influenced the fashion scene more than anyone else in the 1980s".Madonna's changing styles continued to influence women's fashion in the following years (and decades),but the 1980s are said to be the pinnacle of her fashion influence.

By the late 1990s, Canadian scholarKarlene Faithcommented that her "fashion influence has crossed generations",while editors ofRock Fashion(1999) described, "Madonna has been the top influence everywhere".Her influence has since faded, although in 2022, Pratik Aswal from Indian Institute of Art & Design, perceived that "her style is still imitated byher fanseven today ".Individuals like Alyson Walsh fromThe Guardian(2015) to Louise Gray ofi-D(2018) and Stephen Doig fromThe Daily Telegraph(2023) have dedicated articles discussing ongoing Madonna's influence on them or during her prime.

Influence on people from fashion industry

German designerMichael Michalskycreated the "Madonna bag", one of 2016's most googled bags.

As early as 1985,Mark Begoechoed her influence on many things —including on fashion designers— saying "knows no foreseeable boundaries".In 1990, Foley explained that "she inspires some of the biggest names in the clothing business".A 1999 article ofJournal of American CulturefromBowling Green State University,described how during the 1980s and 1990s, aspects of Madonna's styles influenced the styles of leading designers inParisand London.

Both her retrospectively and perceived continued influence has been discussed in her next decades. In 2015, an editor fromFashion Week Mexicoconcurred that she has been a "constant inspiration" on runway shows around the world.In 2020, Simone Vertua ofL'Officieladds: "Madonna's style had influenced fashion designers to make unforgettable collaborations".In 2021,Voguealso remarked that she has inspired collections of "various" designers.In 2023,Women's Wear Daily's Tonya Blazio-Licorish lumped Madonna with other 20th century's female artists, for continuing "to inspire fashion designers with their show-stopping personas".Furthermore,Anna Suicredited Madonna for inspiring to run her firstrunway show.In 2016, German designerMichael Michalskycommented that he has taken inspiration from her in his collections.

Influence on other entertainers

[Madonna] created a template that pop successors utilize to this day.

—Vogue(2021).

Madonna's style influenced other entertainers and was noted in numerous celebrities and artists.In 2012, after decades since her debut, author Tom Streissguth was convinced that Madonna attitude has survived, as many female music and style celebrities have had a little bit of her in their style.Others have addressed the path Madonna paved, includingVoguemagazine.About this whole point, Simone Vertua fromL'Officielargued "her looks have totally revolutionized the way of thinking of all the pop stars".Similarly, Leah Melby Clinton ofGlamouradds that "she totally paved the way for future pop-tart ladies".

Various individuals have publicly expressed Madonna's fashion influence on them, immediate and retrospectively. In 2011,Kelly Osbournenamed Madonna as her biggest fashion influence,while celebrities such asNaomi CampbellandRita Oraonce cited her as one of her fashion icons.Kelly Brookalso referred to her as her style icon while growing up.

Accolades

Peer industry acknowledgment

Amid an ever-evolving industry, Madonna managed to receive peer industry recognition. According toHarper's Bazaarin 2015, designers likeRiccardo Tiscihave paid tribute to Madonna.Simon Doonanpaid homage to her in a slideshow atBarney'scalledThe Mesmerizing Mistress of Perpetual Reinvention.In a 1985 interview,Michael Grossasked Madonna, "how do you feel about designers paying tribute to you?". "I'm very flattered", she said.Dolce & Gabbanahave dedicated some shows to Madonna, including their spring/summer 2001 collection entitled Madonna and Italian Beauty in 2024.

Designers such asDonatella VersaceandKarl Lagerfeldonce expressed their admiration towards her in fashion terms; Lagerfeld once called her "the single greatest fashion influence in the world".Doonan once referred to her like "patron saintfor fashion ".In 2019, Versace was commissioned byL'Officielto write a special article about Madonna, where she became "reflective".Like Lagerfeld,Voguemagazine also proclaimed her as the "greatest single fashion influence" in the world.Similarly, in 2015,Suhani Pittiesaid in her blog, "it would not be wrong to say that she is in fact 'the' most influential women's fashion icon ever",whileJean-Paul Gaultiertold Spanish press in 2012, that she is the "biggest fashion icon" although recognized newer generations by that time, and an ever-evolving industry.

Listicles

Madonna has appeared in a number oflisticlesand publications related to fashion sense or individuals' impact. In 2009,Clothes Show Londonconducted a poll of fashion biggest icons of the 20th century divided by decades. Madonna won the 1980s section, with 75 percent —the highest sum attained by the other decade's winners.She was also included inRolling Stone's list of musicians who defined the 1990s fashion.

Madonna on selected listicles and publications (all-time/century)

Year	Publication	List or Work	Rank	Ref.
2010	Glamour	The 25 Most Influential Style Icons in Music	1
2012	Time	All-TIME 100 Fashion Icons, Style and Design	—
2013	Today	The Most Memorable Style Icons	10
2015	Flavorwire	Music's 40 Greatest Style Icons	5
2015	Harper's Bazaar	Women Who Changed Fashion: The Style Icons	—
2017		150 World's Most Fashionable Women	—
2016	Design Museum	Fifty Women's Fashion Icons that Changed the World	—
2016	Beyond Words Publishing	Style Icons Who Changed the World Through Fashion	—
2020	Uproxx	The Most Influential Style Icons In Music History	—
2021	Laurence King Publishing	100 Women 100 Styles (The Women Who Changed the Way We Look)	—

Awards and recognition

Madonna accepting an award at theVH1Fashion Awards in 1998

Madonna has received a number ofawardsfor her fashion. She was honored with the Style Icon byElle Style Awardsin 2007, recognizing her contributions in the field, and for her ever-evolving image.She won variousVH1Fashion Awards, including the first Versace Award in 1998, as their panel agreed that "her career has been the model for the infusion of celebrity and glamour into fashion and in many ways created the fashion world as it is known today".Madonna was recognized by theInternational Best Dressed Hall of Fame List.

Over the course of multiple decades, Madonna was referred immediately and retrospectively with sobriquets in journalist pieces internationally. She was called a "Goddess of Fashion", "Queen of Style" or a "Queen of Fashion".In 2003, Czech newspaperMladá fronta DNESnamed her the "Queen of Fashion Trends" but also the "Master ofKitsch".She was also called the "Queen ofCamp".In 2015, an editor from fashion magazineHarper's Bazaarretrospectively called her "Queen of Street Style".In 1998,The Straits Timescalled her "Queen of Many Faces".

Museum and galleries exhibitions

Many pieces sported by Madonna have been part of various exhibitions around the world. Following a selected gallery and examples:

• Rock Style (December 9, 1999 – March 19, 2000) —Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Extreme Beauty: The Body Transformed (December 6, 2001 – March 17, 2002) — Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk (2020) —Victoria and Albert Museum
• Cine y Moda (Cinema and Fashion) (2022) —Cinémathèque Françaiseand La Caixa Foundation

• 
  Madonna's Gaultier Kimono atVictoria and Albert Museum(UK)
• 
  Madonna'sStella McCartneydress worn in 2011 Met Gala displayed atHermitage Museum(RU)
• 
  Madonna's footwear atSalvatore Ferragamo Museum(IT)
• 
  A Madonna leather jacket atHard Rock CafeLondon
• 
  Madonna's dress from the movieBody of Evidence,located in Hard Rock Café Oslo

Written works

AmongMadonna's books,some of them had a central theme in her fashion or photos, includingMartin H. M. Schreiber's books in 2002 and 2017 for herPlayboynude photos,Richard Corman'sMadonna NYC 83in 2013, andMatthew Rettenmund'sMLVC60: Madonna's Most Amazing Magazine Covers: A Visual Recordin 2019.

See also

• Love, Loss, and What I Wore
• List of people on the cover ofAttitudemagazine
• List ofElle(India) cover models
• List of people on the cover ofGQRussia
• Lists ofHarper's Bazaarcover models
• List of people on the cover ofi-Dmagazine
• List ofJanemagazine cover models
• List ofNMEcovers
• Lists ofPlayboymodels
• Lists of covers ofTimemagazine
• List ofTV Guidecovers
• List ofVmagazine cover models
• Lists of people on the United States cover ofRolling Stone
• List ofVoguecover models

Book sources

See also:Bibliography of works on MadonnaandList of academic publishing works on Madonna

• Andrews, Marc (2022).Madonna Song by Song.Fonthill Media.ISBN9781781558447.
• Anguelov, Nikolay (2015).The Dirty Side of the Garment Industry.CRC Press.ISBN978-1498712231.
• Asitimbay, Diane(2005).What's Up America?: A Foreigner's Guide to Understanding Americans.Culturelink Press.ISBN978-0-9759276-0-1.
• Ball, Deborah (2010).House of Versace.Crown Publishing Group.ISBN978-0307462404.
• Barcella, Laura (2019).Fight Like a Girl: 50 Feminists Who Changed the World.Zest Books.ISBN978-1541581838.
• Batchelor, Bob; Stoddart, Scott (2007).The 1980s.Greenwood Publishing Group.ISBN978-0313330001.
• Beccia, Carlyn Cerniglia (2016).Fashion Rebels: Style Icons Who Changed the World Through Fashion.Simon and Schuster.ISBN978-1582704883.
• Bego, Mark(2000).Madonna: Blonde Ambition.Cooper Square Press.ISBN0815410514.
• Bell, Alison (2004).Fearless Fashion.Lobster Press.ISBN1894222865.
• Benstock, Shari;Ferriss, Suzanne (1994).On Fashion.Rutgers University Press.ISBN0813520339.
• Blanco F, José; Hunt-Hurst, Patricia Kay; Lee, Heather Vaughan; Doering, Mary (2015).Clothing and Fashion: American Fashion from Head to Toe.ABC-CLIO.ISBN978-1610693103.
• Blumenthal, Deborah (1995).The New York Book of Beauty.City & Company.ISBN1885492235.
• Brown, Stephen (2004).Free Gift Inside!!: Forget the Customer. Develop Marketease.John Wiley & Sons.ISBN1841126020.
• Burns, Gary (2016).A Companion to Popular Culture.John Wiley & Sons.ISBN978-1405192057.
• Calboli, Irene; Senftleben, Martin (2018).The Protection of Non-traditional Trademarks.Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0198826576.
• Church Gibson, Pamela (2013).Fashion and Celebrity Culture.Berg Publishers.ISBN978-0857852311.
• Cochrane, Lauren (2016).Fifty Women's Fashion Icons that Changed the World: Design Museum Fifty.Hachette.ISBN978-1840917475.
• Cote, Rachel Vorona (2020).Too Much: How Victorian Constraints Still Bind Women Today.Hachette.ISBN978-1538729717.
• Cramer, Alfred William (2009).Musicians and Composers of the 20th Century.Salem Press.ISBN978-1587655159.
• Cross, Mary(2007).Madonna: A Biography.Greenwood Publishing Group.ISBN978-0-313-33811-3.
• Desser, David;Jowett, Garth (2000).Hollywood Goes Shopping.University of Minnesota Press.ISBN0816635137.
• Dickinson, Kay (2003).Movie Music, the Film Reader.Routledge.ISBN0415281598.
• duCille, Ann(1996).Skin Trade.Harvard University Press.ISBN0674810848.
• Drushel, Bruce E.; Peters, Brian M. (2017).Sontag and the Camp Aesthetic: Advancing New Perspectives.Lexington Books.ISBN978-1498537773.
• Faith, Karlene;Wasserlein, Frances(1997).Madonna, Bawdy & Soul.University of Toronto Press.ISBN0-802-04208-2.
• Gan, Stephen (1999).Visionaire's Fashion 2001: Designers of the New Avant-garde.Universe Publishing.ISBN0789303574.
• Garde-Hansen, Joanne (2011).Media and Memory.Edinburgh University Press.ISBN978-0748688883.
• Giuntini, Parme P.; Hagen, Kathryn (2008).Garb: A Fashion and Culture Reader.Pearson Prentice Hall.ISBN978-0131119109.
• Gnojewski, Carol (2017).Madonna: Fighting for Self-Expression.Enslow Publishing.ISBN978-0766092556.
• Guilbert, Georges-Claude(2015).Madonna as Postmodern Myth.McFarland.ISBN978-0-786-48071-5.
• Gundle, Stephen(2008).Glamour: A History.Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0199210985.
• Hallenbeck-Huber, Marjorie (2010).Celebrities' Most Wanted.Potomac Books.ISBN978-1597975100.
• Harrison, Thomas R. (2011).Music of the 1980s.ABC-CLIO.ISBN978-0-313-36599-7.
• Hunt, Jilly (2012).Popular Culture: 1980-1999.Raintree Publishers.ISBN978-1406256567.
• Kallen, Stuart A. (2012).The History of Rock and Roll.Greenhaven Publishing LLC.ISBN978-1420506945.
• Kaplan, E. Ann(2016).Rocking Around the Clock.Routledge.ISBN978-1317227687.
• Kellner, Douglas;Hammer, Rhonda (2009).Media/cultural Studies: Critical Approaches.Peter Lang.ISBN978-0-8204-9526-2.
• Khandelwal, Madhulika S. (2018).Becoming American, Being Indian: An Immigrant Community in New York City.Cornell University Press.ISBN978-1501722028.
• King, Poppy (2016).The A to Z of Lipstick.Simon and Schuster.ISBN978-1501141683.
• Krieken, Robert Van; Habibis, Daphne; Smith, Philip; Hutchins, Brett; Martin, Greg; Maton, Karl (2013).Sociology.Pearson Higher Education.ISBN978-1442562363.
• Landrum, Gene N. (1994).Profiles of Female Genius: Thirteen Creative Women who Changed the World.Prometheus Books.ISBN0-87975-892-9.
• Litt, Jerome Z. (2005).Neurological Drug Reactions and Interactions.CRC Press.ISBN0415467365.
• Lynch, Annette; Strauss, Mitchell (2007).Changing Fashion: A Critical Introduction to Trend Analysis and Cultural Meaning.Berg Publishers.ISBN978-1845203900.
• McFarlan, Donald (2000).Guinness World Records 2000.Bantam Books.ISBN1892051001.
• Moeran, Brian (2016).The Magic of Fashion: Ritual, Commodity, Glamour.Routledge.ISBN978-1315417967.
• Moore, Jennifer Grayer (2015).Fashion Fads Through American History: Fitting Clothes into Context: Fitting Clothes into Context.ABC-CLIO.ISBN978-1610699020.
• Mulvey, Laura(1996).Fetishism and Curiosity.Indiana University Press.ISBN0851705472.
• Nowell, Iris (2004).Generation Deluxe: Consumerism and Philanthropy of the New Super-Rich.Dundurn Press.ISBN155002972X.
• O'Brien, Lucy(2007).Madonna: Like an Icon.Bantam Press.ISBN978-0-593-05547-2.
• O'Neill, Michael (2014).The Best Bar Trivia Book Ever.Simon and Schuster.ISBN978-1440579486.
• Pallingston, Jessica (1999).Lipstick: A Celebration of a Girl's Best Friend.Simon and Schuster.ISBN0684858703.
• Partridge, Christopher(2017).The Bloomsbury Handbook of Religion and Popular Music.Bloomsbury Publishing.ISBN978-1474237352.
• Raines, Jenyne M. (2010).Beautylicious!: The Black Girl's Guide to the Fabulous Life.Crown Publishing Group.ISBN978-0307513878.
• Remland, Martin S. (2016).Nonverbal Communication in Everyday Life.SAGE Publications.ISBN978-1483370248.
• Sexton, Adam (1993).Desperately Seeking Madonna: in search of the meaning of the world's most famous woman.ABC-CLIO.ISBN0385306881.
• Schneider, Cy(1987).Children's Television: The Art, the Business, and how it Works.NTC Business Books.ISBN0844231460.
• Schwichtenberg, Cathy (1993).The Madonna connection.Westview Press.ISBN0813313961.
• Sims, Josh; Peachey, Mal (1999).Rock Fashion.Omnibus.ISBN071197733X.
• Singer, Howie; Rosenblatt, Bill (2023).Key Changes: The 10 Times Technology Transformed the Music Industry.Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0197656891.
• Steele, Valerie(2015).The Berg Companion to Fashion.Bloomsbury Publishing.ISBN978-1474264709.
• Streissguth, Tom (2012).Getting the Hang of Fashion and Dress Codes: A How-to Guide.Enslow Publishing.ISBN978-1464503528.
• Stępień, Justyna (2014).Redefining Kitsch and Camp in Literature and Culture.Cambridge Scholars Publishing.ISBN978-1443867795.
• Taraborrelli, J. Randy (September 27, 2001).Madonna: An Intimate Biography.Simon and Schuster.ISBN978-0-7432-2880-0.
• Tzvetkova, Juliana (2017).Pop Culture in Europe.ABC-CLIO.ISBN978-1-4408-4466-9.
• Watson, Mary Ann; Nash, Gerald D.; Etulain, Richard W. (1998).Defining Visions: Television and the American Experience Since 1945.Harcourt Brace College Publishers.ISBN0-15-503201-1.
• Hatschek, Keith; Wells, Veronica A. (2018).Historical Dictionary of the American Music Industry.Rowman & Littlefield.ISBN978-1538111444.
• Wexler, Bruce (2022).Classic Country Toys: An Illustrated History of Americana.Simon and Schuster.ISBN978-1510756953.
• Widdicombe, Ben (2021).Gatecrasher: How I Helped the Rich Become Famous and Ruin the World.Simon and Schuster.ISBN978-1982128845.
• Wooster, Patricia (2014).So, You Want to Work in Fashion?.Aladdin/Beyond Words.ISBN978-1582704524.

Non-English books

• Celnik, Jacobo (2018).La causa nacional: Historias del rock en Colombia(in Spanish). Penguin Random House.ISBN978-9585425538.
• García, Leticia; Primo, Carlos (2014).El nuevo traje del emperador(in Spanish). Capitán Swing Libros.ISBN978-8494287817.
• Steinmetzer, Jan; Müller, Sabine;Groß, Dominik(2015).Normal - anders - krank?: Akzeptanz, Stigmatisierung und Pathologisierung im Kontext der Medizin(in German).Martin Werhand Verlag.ISBN978-3954661879.

External links

• MadonnaatVogue(website)