French Designer Manfred Thierry Mugler Dies At 73

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Iconic fashion designer Manfred Thierry Mugler, founder of Mugler, has died at the age of 73.

His personal Instagram page confirmed his death with a post of a black square and a caption that reads, “We are devastated to announce the passing of Mr. Manfred Thierry Mugler on Sunday January 23rd 2022. May his soul Rest In Peace.”

More from Deadline

The cause of death has not been revealed yet.

Mugler was born in Strasbourg, France on December 21, 1948. In his youth, Mugler focused his passions on dancing and on the arts. At the age of 14, he joined the Rhin Opera ballet corps.

In his early twenties, Mugler began his design career at Karim. At 24, he moved to Paris and worked for a boutique named Gudule. He later designed for a variety of fashion houses in Paris, Milan, London and Spain.

Mugler reached international recognition in the 80s and 90s for his shapely suits and had his fashion shows noted for their extravagant, thematic affairs.

In 2003, Mugler announced his retirement from fashion. “Fashion is beautiful, 3-D art on a human being. But it wasn’t enough, which is why I went on to create in other ways. For me, it wasn’t the right tool anymore. But perfume still interests me,” Mugler said regarding his departure.

Mugler broke from retirement in 2019 when he designed a dress for friend Kim Kardashian West for the 2019 Met Gala. Receiving inspiration from Sophia Loren in Boy On A Dolphin and Kardashian’s home state, Mugler envisioned a “wet couture dress” for the social media star.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.