Madonna – THEAUSSIEWORD

Madonna’s MDNA SKIN, created in partnership with the innovative Japanese beauty brand MTG, partnered with Milk from Season 6 of Rupaul’s Drag Race for an inspirational and artfully produced video campaign. The video showcases a behind-the-scenes look at the photo shoot, featuring Milk wearing three different iconic Madonna looks. The looks featured include the “Hung Up” music video, the “Living for Love” music video, and the Cone Bra from the Blonde Ambition Tour. Madonna can be heard throughout in voiceover, speaking about expressing yourself, loving yourself, and loving your skin. “From having my makeup done by Aaron, to my hair, to secretly getting to try on the original Jean Paul Gaultier cone bra, shooting the MDNA SKIN campaign video was surreal! To be a part of this, for someone who has always epitomized the ideals of being different and unique, was a dream come true.”- Milk

Continue reading Madonna’s New MDNA Skin Video ft. RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE Star ‘MILK’

MADONNA launched her highly anticipated Rebel Heart Tour with a sold-out show at the Bell Centre in Montreal on September 10. Diplo opened the show. The set list spanned all decades of the iconic superstar’s illustrious career, including songs from her current album Rebel Heart (the No. 1 Dance hits “Living for Love” and “Bitch I’m Madonna,” to classic fan favorites like “Material Girl” and “Holiday” and a “Dress You Up” medley that included “Get Into The Groove,” “Everybody,” and “Lucky Star.” Fan-created artwork was featured in a video montage shown during Madonna’s performance of the song “Rebel Heart,” and her rendition of “La Vie En Rose” played on just a ukulele received and overwhelming standing ovation from the audience. See below for the show’s full set list.

The Rebel Heart Tour is directed by Jamie King with musical direction by Kevin Antunes (the band’s keyboardist Ric’key Pageot, drummer Brian Frasier-Moore, guitarist Monte Pittman, and background vocalists Kiley Dean and Nicki Richards),lead choreography by Megan Lawson, hair by Andy LeCompte, makeup by Aaron Henrikson, and costume design by Arianne Phillips.

Beloved for her boundary-pushing fashion, Madonna has worked with both world-renowned designers and exciting up-and-comers over the years. For the Rebel Heart Tour, she and Phillips, whose original designs are also in the show, collaborated with Alessandro Michele for Gucci, Alexander Wang, Fausto Puglisi, Jeremy Scott for Moschino, Nicolas Jebran, Miu Miu, Prada and Swarovski to create the sumptuous costumes. Below are details from each designer.

Alessandro Michele for Gucci: Madonna wears an exotic gypsy outfit comprising a lurex-lace-and-jacquard bodysuit with an embroidered belt, lace short sleeves, and multi-colored trimmings, plus a black crêpe de Chine skirt with embroidered patches and black georgette ruffles. She also wears a black crêpe de Chine and georgette shawl with embroidered patches and silk fringes, lace gloves with pleated jacquard ruffles. To cap it off, she wears high-heeled knee-high lace-up leather boots and a black hat adorned with silk flowers. Her dancers complement her in patchwork bodysuits with a mix of ruffles and multicolored trimmings and embroidered belts. These are then teamed with multicolored floral headpieces; pleated jacquard neckpieces; lurex shrugs (featuring pleated ruffles on the sleeves and multicolored silk flowers); brocade jackets sporting silk flowers, embroidered patches, and lace pleated ruffles at the bottoms of the sleeves; and lace “Tehuana” inspired capes with multicolored silk flowers.

Alexander Wang: Madonna wears a long-sleeve mini-dress made from black sport basketball mesh in an accordion pleat technique, derived from Wang’s Spring 2015 collection.

Fausto Puglisi: Puglisi has made three costumes for Madonna. The first is a Baroque cape made in velvet, silk, Swarovski crystals, and black leather over purple silk satin. The embellishments are all handmade in Italy by Sicilian artisans and took over 400 hours to complete. The second is a purple, black, and silver velvet cape with Swarovski crystal embellishment over a shining black silk satin. It took 320 hours to embroider. The inspiration comes from Puglisi’s love for Cecil Beaton. The third is the Matador ensemble, which celebrates Madonna as a Queen and a Fighter. Each Swarovski crystal is embroidered over meticulous and intricate baroque Spanish embellishments handmade with black velvet and leather on black silk duchesse. It took 230 hours of embroidery to complete the suit.

Jeremy Scott for Moschino: Madonna wears a black double-breasted peak lapel blazer with jet Swarovski crystals and a crystal encrusted black tulle flapper dress. The jeweled motif is created with thousands of Swarovski stones and crystal-studded organza ribbon fringe. She also wears black crystal fringed opera gloves.

Miu Miu: Miu Miu shoes, which have been designed for Madonna and her dancers, are inspired by different themes and linked to the needs of the show.

The Futuristic/Tribal look is sexy shoes defined by metal patch uppers and completed by studs and Swarovski crystals for an aggressive touch. The Punk Rock look is wedges with a micro porous surface and bicolor suede uppers embellished by studs. They are inspired by “Creepers” with the addition of a signature Miu Miu jewel-toe cup. The Sexy look is nappa stretch boots with laces and buckles and pumps with ABS heels in contrasting colors and satin uppers embroidered with Swarovski crystals. The overall look is aggressive, sexy, and modern.

Nicolas Jebran: Madonna wears a black, fuchsia, and purple jacket studded with a mixture of Swarovski stones, colorful silk threads, and leather embroideries. The edges of the shoulders design are decorated with round black beads, and the pant is made from black tulle with transparent, beaded side panels. She also wears a bolero with shoulders decorated with the royal Lily flowers and black and fuchsia Swarovski crystals. Finally, the black jacket features metallic embellishments mixed with black Swarovski crystals and tear-shaped pearls. The back is adorned with the Latin letter M, which symbolizes the character of The Queen M (as Jebran calls Madonna).

Prada: A mix of check patterns in different sizes and colors define the outerwear, which is marked by a silhouette enhancing the waist and by exaggerated shoulders recalling the ’40s. Coats and jackets are made of a checkered gabardine techno fabric embellished by inserts in contrasting leather with velvet details on the back of the collars and of the flaps. Crystal embroideries and studs accentuate the vertical cut of the clothes. The look is completed by shirts in various models featuring a combination of checks and stripes as well as ruffles and contrasting pipings. The shirts are worn over black trousers that make the silhouette even more appealing.

Swarovski: Rebel Heart marks the fourth time Swarovski has worked with Madonna’s costume design team on one of her tours. For this tour, over 350 items have been crystallized from clothing, to shoes, to hats, to masks, guitar straps, gloves, and various other garments. Over 2.5 million Swarovski crystals were used for the “Rebel Heart” Tour costumes and it took over 1,200 man hours to apply all the crystals to the costumes.

Accessories designers include Lilly e Violetta, Zana Bayne, Lynn Ban, Majesty Black, Julia Clancey, Rachel Freire, Cinza Aria, Gaspar Gloves, Geoffrey Mac, and Michael Schmidt. Images by Kevin Mazur. The Rebel Heart Tour will visit 20 cities in North America and 16 cities in Europe and the UK through the end of 2015 with additional concert dates in the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia already confirmed for 2016. The Rebel Heart World Tour is produced by Live Nation Global Touring. A full list of tour dates and ticket information is below and can also be found at: http://www.madonna.com/tour.

Bell Centre Set List:

Iconic

Bitch I’m Madonna

Burning Up

Holy Water

Devil Pray

Messiah

Body Shop

True Blue

Deeper And Deeper

Heartbreak City
Like A Virgin

S.E.X.

Living For Love

La Isla Bonita

Dress You Up

Who’s That Girl

Rebel Heart

Illuminati

Music / Candy Shop

Material Girl

La Vie En Rose

Unapologetic Bitch

Holiday

MADONNA’s REBEL HEART TOUR BY THE NUMBERS

ONE specially designed crucifix shaped stage which flows directly through the audience with a heart shaped “Rebel Heart” at the end of the runway.

2,500,000 Swarovski crystals adorn Madonna’s costumes.

2,150,400 LED Pixels are light up the rear screens on the Rebel Heart stage

140,000 pounds of lights, sound and video equipment necessary for each night’s performance.

55,000 pounds the weight of the moveable stage ramp used multiple times throughout the concert.

25,391 miles of road will be traveled by tour bus for the North American Leg of tour.

10,000 number of hours of workmanship have gone into creating costumes from Alessandro Michele for Gucci, Alexander Wang, Fausto Puglisi, Jeremy Scott for Moschino, Nicolas Jebran, Miu Miu, Prada and Swarovski for the Rebel Heart Tour.

1000 plus wardrobe pieces are required for all the performers onstage.