Jump to content

Madonnanation exclusive : Blond ambition tour early costumes sketches


Roland Barthes

Recommended Posts

It all makes so much sense. Thanks so much guys, specially you Roland :madonna2:

I did not know of Marlene Stewart's existence until this thread, and certainly wasn't aware that she had designed that last Holiday costume. It's quietly amazing, and I think the Blonde Ambition Tour could not have existed in any other way than it which it actually did.

Can you imagine her closing with LIB? While a great, signature M song, it doesn't quite pack the closing punch of energy Holiday leaves you with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for posting. The scans are tiny but i managed to get some infos.

The sketches i posted from Liberation are the first set of sketches he made for her and brought her to New York in november of 1989 when they first met for the project.

He says in this Glamour diary that his idea was to have her appear on stage as the Madonna (mother of Jesus) and to remove the layers of clothes she wore after each song to end up showering on stage = "Shiny and new". This matches the sketches. The inspiration was his spring/summer 90 ready to wear collection "Les nonnes" (the nuns). It also inspired the final LAP costume. Here two ads for the collection :

image.jpgth_1.jpg

In this Glamour Diary we learn that Madonna loved the idea but it was Christopher who vetoed it "We already have too much problems with the church" (Gaultier quoting him saying in this article)

You're welcome. Glad you could extract the info and what a stellar job you've done in laying it out for us to appreciate.

It's all so fascinating. Thank you, Roland!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When the tour started some respectful radio journo here commented that he had asked her about LIB not being included and she answered that she may include it later. Maybe she thought of having it later or something?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's very possible that these early sketches were not intended for the Blond Ambition Tour as we know it. Bear in mind that Pepsi announced in early 1989 that they would be sponsoring the 'Like a Prayer World Tour' that was to take place that year. I can't remember exactly but I think that tour was scrapped or pushed back due to her signing on for Dick Tracey. I believe the sketches with the brown hair (which is very reminiscent of the LAP video hair) were for costumes intended for the scrapped 1989 tour. I don't believe there was ever going to be a Blond Ambition Tour with a brunette Madonna. Also the sketches for what would become the BA Tour that have been widely circulating for years now all featured a blonde curly haired Madonna and were obviously intended for that tour.

When you weigh everything up that went down in '89 my theory kind of makes sense but it's just my own personal theory once again.

I was just about to post this. You are correct. These were indeed for a Like a Prayer tour.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was looking for any information on M being brunette, and this came up on google- a thread from this forum with basically the same info on here- but WITH the hair timeline i was describing :-)

http://forums.madonnanation.com/index.php?showtopic=44636

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was looking for any information on M being brunette, and this came up on google- a thread from this forum with basically the same info on here- but WITH the hair timeline i was describing :-)

http://forums.madonnanation.com/index.php?showtopic=44636

Interesting :) Her hair was really blonde during the tour. Anyone know why she dropped the pony tail?

11824919_1128497130498446_15473268130105

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Such amazing info - thanks everyone who contributed to this thread. Really fascinating. Those sketches could easily have come from her most recent tour - they look so fresh and current. but thats the genius of gaultier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting :) Her hair was really blonde during the tour. Anyone know why she dropped the pony tail?

11824919_1128497130498446_15473268130105

I think Gaultier preferred her hair down and in curls? I think I read that somewhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting :) Her hair was really blonde during the tour. Anyone know why she dropped the pony tail?

some say it's because her hair was falling out from over processing it, some say its because the ponytail was pulling her hair out, some say that in the beginning of the tour, her hair resembled too much of the WGT and she wanted something different until her hair grew in more. There are quite a few speculations. I can see her hair being badly damaged from over processing it, but using a hot iron on it is even worse than a ponytail. I don't see the ponytail pulling it out or damaging it. Usually ponytails are used as protective hairstyles for damaged hair to lessen the use of styling products or heat. I can see this scenario: her hair was damaged, so she used the ponytail for a few months until it was healthy enough to use a hot iron on it/curl it. The ponytail style was also good to get that shocking "wow she's changed and so different!" factor (for the gp that doesn't pay much attention, and probably associate her with the WTGT, since those pictures were still in rotation in the news). It's like we see the major difference between the Virgin tour and WTGtour, but from WTG to BA, the short blonde hair wasn't going to be as impressive in the beginning. Madonna's fame had a lot to do with how different she looks. That's what got me into her so much.

I think Gaultier preferred her hair down and in curls? I think I read that somewhere.

You may have read something like that here http://forums.madonnanation.com/index.php?showtopic=44636&page=2 -it's the first post on page two.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting :) Her hair was really blonde during the tour. Anyone know why she dropped the pony tail?

11824919_1128497130498446_15473268130105

Interview with Truth or Dare cinematographer Toby Phillips:

the beats within: For an artist such as Madonna, obviously her image is very important, so were there any other technical challenges in presenting Madonna in the best light on the big screen?

There was another conversation that Madonna and I had about her hair. She had often used that I Dream of Genie hairdo, with her hair pulled back in a tight bun at the back of the head and it was my feeling that for the movie, that was a little severe. I thought that she looked a good balance between commanding and a little bit more feminine with the blonde bob look. I dont know whether I talked her into it, but I told her which one I preferred.

In truth, she probably could have done both. Thinking about the way it was edited, it wouldnt have been bad to have a show where she did it with one look and a show where she did it with the other look and then through the cut, put in a bit of both. So, Im not sure who decided that she just did it all the same way.

http://thebeatswithin.blogspot.com.ar/2011/12/truth-or-dare-toby-phillips-speaks.html?m=1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...