The posthumous transformation of forgotten or unknown muses into contemporary fashion icons
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Serpoianu, Mara Diana. 2025. The posthumous transformation of forgotten or unknown muses into contemporary fashion icons. Other thesis, Goldsmiths, University of London [Thesis]
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Text (The posthumous transformation of forgotten or unknown muses into contemporary fashion icons)
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Abstract or Description
The history of fashion is graced by career-long legendary collaborations between couturiers and society figures praised as their muses, whereas more modern times highlight such liaisons replaced by the more pragmatic and temporary brand endorsement (Barron, 2021) Cultural references honoured with a style icon status throughout their lifetime such as David Bowie or Grace Jones can still be noticed influencing fashion collections in the recent years, indicating their relevance before a contemporary audience. A distinctive pattern can be noted at John Galliano who extracts lesser known human subjects from the past, honouring them through tribute collections. As highlighted by Luisa Casati and Renée Perle, Galliano’s sources of inspiration appear either fallen into oblivion or withdrawn from the public life, with virtually inexistent prospects of becoming historically significant. Years after Galliano honoured them, his muses are recognised as standalone historical figures and fashion icons, gracing the collections of other designers. Such evolution indicates the opportunity to investigate the processes through which the fashion system can posthumously launch style icons whom a contemporary audience finds relevant to its values. The theoretical framework for the thesis includes Bourdieu’s (1979) and Barthes’ (1990) works on fashion as a field and a system, Benjamin’s Tiger Leap thesis, Dyer’s (1979) theory of the star as a sign, and Turner’s (2008) observations on how celebrities end up recognised as symbols. A multimethod research design follows the establishment of Luisa Casati and Renée Perle as fashion icons. The methodology includes a field analysis recreating a designer’s research efforts, a visual analysis of all muse-inspired imagery cited within garments and promotional tools, a content analysis of press reviews attained by the studied collections. The muses’ public visibility demanded a content analysis of media headlines dedicated to them outside the fashion system, as well as a social media analysis of the #luisacasati and the #reneeperle hashtags. A field analysis of all the aforementioned forces is further employed to detect and trace the fashion system’s influence in posthumously launching cultural icons.
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Item Type: |
Thesis (Other) |
| Identification Number (DOI): |
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| Keywords: |
Luisa Casati, Renee Perle, Memory Revival, Fashion Icon, Fashion Muse, Posthumous Celebrification, Fashion Sociology, Fashion Semiotics, Celebrity Studies |
| Departments, Centres and Research Units: |
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| Date: |
31 July 2025 |
| Item ID: |
39396 |
| Date Deposited: |
14 Aug 2025 17:17 |
| Last Modified: |
14 Aug 2025 17:17 |
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URI: |
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