At last night’s Super Bowl, 53-year-old Madonna high-kicked and cartwheeled her way through a high octane performance. (No somersaults and backflips?)
But her physical and musical prowess were not the only things to get fans excited: Madge’s costumes proved to be top talking points too. Given the furore Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction caused back in 2004, the notoriously risqué singer wisely kept it all well above board.
Her wardrobe was a stunning series of bespoke Givenchy Haute Couture creations by Riccardo Tisci, designed with a melange of themes that embraced both Roman gladiatorial style and the elegant excess of Egyptian queens.
Egyptian queen meets Roman gladiator: Madonna’s Givenchy Couture look for the half-time performance at the American Superbowl
What that translated to was a set of architectural pieces heavy on gold embellishment, featuring statement flourishes lavish in detail, with plenty of sequins, leopard print, metalwork and evocative cuts channelling Tisci’s work for Givenchy over the past few years.
There were three main designs: a gold, hand-embroidered full-length gown with headdress; black and gold miniskirt with hand-studded warrior-style belt, and the final design – a heavily embellished black coat with high collar.
The transition between costumes took place on stage, and was choreographed to form part of the spectacle. ‘Following my collaboration with Madonna on her last tour three years ago, it is a great honor for me to be a part of yet another historical and iconic moment,’ Riccardo Tisci said of the collaboration.
Egyptian queen meets Roman gladiator: Madonna’s Givenchy Couture look for the half-time performance at the American Superbowl
Madonna in the gladiator look
Black mini dress in silk cady, worn with leopard print short cape in silk charmeuse hand-embroidered with gold metal cut out pieces, studs, crystals, sequins and paillettes, worn with a black python hand-studded and hand-embroidered belt with removable matching flaps
‘People say everything has a limit, but limits do not exist with Madonna.
‘I am so happy that, after being busy in other scenes, she decided to go back on a music stage. Not only to bring us music, but also to make such a statement of performance and fashion.’
All of the outfits were worn with hand-embroidered nappa leather gloves – an essential accessory, given that Madonna has rarely gone without gloves in public over the past few years.
Her bespoke headpiece was designed by Philip Treacy; the jewellery was Bugari.
For her set, Madonna performed a greatest hits selection of her classics, including Vogue, Music, Express Yourself, and her new single, Give me all your Luvin, featuring Nicki Minaj, who appeared on stage with the star.
In the gold cape for the Bridgestone Superbowlhalftime show at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana
Madonna in the black coat, embellished with rectangular sequins
Left, Madonna in the hand-embellished gold coat, and right, wearing the final outfit, the black coat, embellished with rectangular sequins
Egyptian queen meets Roman gladiator: Madonna’s Givenchy Couture look for the half-time performance at the American Superbowl
Left: Gold cape with all-over hand-embroidery, gold metal cut-out pieces, studs, crystals, sequins and paillettes, lined in leopard-print chiffon. Right, black coat in silk cady, hand-embroidered with shiny black rectangular sequins and micro-pearls
Madonna in the controversial 1989 video for Like A Prayer in which she seduced Jesus; right, in white lace gloves and corset – a look that she would make her own – at the MTV awards in 1984
Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. The comments below have not been moderated.
the QUEEN came ….and the QUEEN conquered!!! the bar was raised sooooo high from her amazing performance last night…that next year’s performer will need a rocket ship to get over it!! Bees, Ohio and glen1946 Texas…don’t forget to take the dishes out of the sink before you pee in it!
– Mattress, Minneapolis, MN USA, 06/2/2012 15:07
Rating 1
There is nothing elegant about Madonna. Nothing.
– Sophie , East Side, 06/2/2012 15:02
Rating (0)
We switched over to ‘ How its Made’ while she was doing her act. Why would the Super Bowl Committee choose this woman to perform on a family show when she is renowned for nudity, sexually provocative film roles and other unsavory antics? What message are children supposed to take from this? Ah well, At least the Giants won.
– glen1946, Texas USA, 06/2/2012 14:57
Rating 4
One word for “Madge” : RETIRE
– Bees, Ohio USA, 06/2/2012 14:26
Rating 13
Madge totally ripped off Kylie’s Aphrodite Tour!
– daniel, melbourne, 06/2/2012 13:18
[[[ *** RESPONSE *** ]]]
Don’t create a fusion culture between the 2 distinct cultures and peoples. Relations between Rome (bronze, dark eyed) and Egypt (darker/dark-eyed-pre-Arab) were one of unhappy vassal and colonial oppressor/aggressor – if not reading wrongly this ‘concert’ sets Rome against Egypt again bringing back to mind the enmity between the 2 great cultures and their faiths in those barbaric times where there was nothing to do but wage war. The entire pantheons of gods were different. So in the interest of cultural purity and peace between 2 massively popular cultures, let us not write articles or present the concert in a way that ends up reminding of how warring Rome destroyed Egypt in those un-PC barbaric times. Ethnic purity and cultural-religious purity should be attenuated where possible, this pro-fusion article is a subtle apologist thing for mixing to oblivion what are 2 distinct cultures – if so intended. If the push and shove trend towards continual fusions occur, we’ll have a ‘too many cooks’ scenario, guess what the kings of the empires at their peak would feel? Not happy about Givenchy’s treatment of their unique cultures! Pastiche!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastiche
Or ‘hiply’ put, ‘Fusion’. Talk to some pet breeders some day to get an idea of how much purity is valued. Then apply to culture . . .
Doubtless the awareness of Roman and Egyptian are present though in another ‘time’ and era, and would appreciate the blessed who would make the distinctions clear than blur for the expense for a single people – the Angles who are from Germany and worse, after terrorizing and subjugating the Irish, Welsh and Scots (original dwellers of the Isles – the hinterland being Scandinavian and Viking – Pan -Germanic Paganism, Nordic pantheons etc. . . .), tried to destroy Germany later on in WW2, talk about ungrateful !
There is no Britain or United Kingdom, and Xianity the selected religion of choice, was from Aramea (created by dark haired dark eyed Jesus). The true original peoples and faiths long predating Xianity were Celtic Welsh of Wales, Druidic Irish Ireland, and Scotland’s Faerie(Wiccan?)Tuatha Pantheon of the Scottish all 3 nominally red haired and green eyed peoples, woad painted dear skin warrior peoples etc.. These were the ONLY and righful sovereign peoples of the North Atlantic Isles (call them the Triple Crown) until the Angle invaders made landing there and brutalized the unique people and converted them with force, denouncing them as pagas and what not. They shuold each have a seat on the UN and their own Kings and governments, the Angles can go back begging to Germany if Germany will have them, who knows Wales after independence could under the issue of invasion reclaim the entire eastern region where ‘England’ is now.
This I guess is what the Mayans meant by the end of an era . . . the end of the violent colonialist era that is. Everywhere they went the Angles colonized and brutalized, AFrica, India, China, and even a shot at their original homeland where Charlemagne reigned! Worthy of historical mention but not worthy of keeping lands effectively stolen and colonized. The IRA wouldn’t exist otherwise, not would all the negative or harmful memes floating about on the North Atlantic Isle (NAI) genotype. So Rome and Egypt should not have to suffer this fusion, and Madonna should go back to her Italian roots and perhaps lobby the Italian Court or whats left of them and take up the challenge of getting a title or few before retiring, figure out where Italy belongs in a resurgent Roman Empire (even as Israel should consider getting buddy-buddy with the Egyptians who were their patrons and sovereigns before Egypt fell to the Romans and they became Jews . . . ! ) not necessarily by force of arms, but because they are well loved and thought highly of in history and in the present. How about it, Miss half Italian half Scandinavian Judaic entertainer extraordinaire? Graduate from the circus yet?
By the way Maddie, take a look at the below link and drop a few ‘quid’ for the ‘Fam’ eh? Their poor state does not dignify Maddie or the Cicionne clan, *sel….
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2053026/Madonnas-big-brother-Anthony-Ciccone-sleeping-rough-river-bridge.html
malaysiandemocracy 