Embracing Design: Madonna's Fashion Evolution and Influence

A few weeks ago, I went to see Madonna. I've been a fan since college, and I'd never seen her live. At this point, she's 65 years old and still performing in some amazing ways, albeit with a knee brace. One thing that really stood out during that show was her different looks and amazing costumes, and it wasn't just about her musical prowess but the spectacle of her ever-evolving fashion sense. 

Her myriad of costumes, and those of her dancers, throughout the show, served as a vivid reminder of the countless iconic looks she's crafted over the years. This spectacle reinforced the thought process around design and trying to be unique and the best in the world at design. 

I did a quick lookup and found many of her different looks aligned with many of the iconic fashion designers over the years. While Madonna engaged deeply with the top and most influential designers in the world, she also developed her own style influenced by her background and connections with artists like Keith Haring, Basquiat (she dated him too), and others in her social circles.

This interplay between collaboration and individuality in Madonna's approach to fashion echoes broader themes in design, where the goal is not just to stand out, but to resonate on a deeper, more personal level.

I’m so glad to have seen her live and appreciate her creativity and design first-hand. Vouge covered many of the specific designs in this post. Bravo Madonna!

As I thought about design and entrepreneurship, I recalled a few other related references. This Founder’s Podcast episode by David Senra on fashion and design. He mentions what he learned from reading Dior by Dior: The Autobiography of Christian Dior, which has memorable quotes on design and fashion by Dior: 

“I wanted to be considered a good craftsman. I wanted my dresses to be constructed like buildings, molded to the curves of the female form, stylizing its shape.” - Christian Dior

"Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions.” - Christian Dior

In another episode and drawing heavily from the same book by Paul Johnson, David also talks about Parisian fashion and design master, Balenciaga. A good book he mentioned was Creators by Paul Johnson, with a great quote on design and art:

“Rational and professional methods of using skills, experiences, creative industriousness, and self-confidence are the ingredients to create the work of art."

Good words to live by and inspire us all to aspire to unique and impactful design!