Thierry Mugler, a genius fashion designer

Thierry Mugler was born on December 21, 1948, in Strasbourg and died on January 23, 2022, in Vincennes. He was a French fashion designer and couturier , renowned for his futuristic creations. At fourteen, after five years of classical dance training, he joined the Ballets de l'Opéra du Rhin. This experience solidified his passion for physical expression and his appreciation for the aesthetics of the body. The young Thierry Mugler then studied architecture at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg, which gave him a talent for staging. His fashion shows, famous for their spectacular and extravagant nature, featured models in eccentric costumes. Thierry Mugler's vision and creations have left an indelible mark on the world of fashion.

Thierry Mugler on stage during the Fall/Winter 1995-1996 haute couture show. In the background, the model wears his creation, the "robot", which was notably worn by actress Zendaya at the premiere of "Dune 2" on February 15, 2024. (Photo by Michel Arnaud/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

Angel by Thierry Mugler, a gourmet perfume of a new kind

In the early 90s the fashion designer, followed by thecosmetic company Clarins, decided to give his universe an olfactory dimension. He placed Vera Strubi, a Swiss businesswoman, at the head of Thierry Mugler Parfums, and launched into the creation of a fragrance that proved to be totally innovative compared to the existing references on the market at that time, consisting mainly of floral scents. A diversity of scents already very important (lily of the valley, hawthorn, rose, geranium, honeysuckle, carnation, orange blossom, hydrangea, magnolia, frangipani, etc.) from which the no less legendary perfumer Olivier Cresp completely detached himself to create the formula for Angel, following several meetings with Thierry Mugler. This would require more than 600 tests. As rarely in the history of perfumery, sweet notes were introduced, such as chocolate, caramel, vanilla and patchouli: Thierry Mugler himself revealed that he wanted to make a fragrance that one would want to eat. A perfume powerful, recognizable among a thousand.
Sweet and addictive notes, a classic oriental structure, but above all a new ingredient, until now used in the food flavoring sector: ethyl maltol, a compound that recalls the smell of pralines, cotton candy and caramel, the funfairs dear to the young Thierry Mugler. This compound will give the perfume its singularity and introduce an innovative approach, which even gives birth to a new family of perfumes, called "gourmet". This will change the perfume market forever and propel Angel to the level of the most legendary perfumes: a year after its release, it even rivals the very famous N°5 by Chanel.

But the new scents are not the only novelties introduced by the Angel perfume. There is of course the blue, emblematic color of the house of Mugler, which is used to color the liquid for the first time in the perfume industry. A daring choice that contrasts with the trends of the time, rather focused on pink or gold, but which creates a striking visual break and helps to distinguish the Angel perfume, perceived as audacious. And there is of course the star-shaped bottle, which also greatly contributes to the desirability and success of the product.

THIERRY MUGLER LAUNCHES HIS PERFUME 'ANGEL' (Photo by Eric Robert/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images)

The refillable star-shaped bottle of Angel perfume, a technological feat and an ecological approach

If the content of the Angel perfume is emblematic, the container is just as much and contributes to its dazzling success. When it was released in 1992, this thick glass bottle with a unique design was unlike any other and was already a jewel in itself. Its manufacture is a technical feat: 3 years of research were necessary for its co-creator, the industrial designer Jean-Jacques Urcun, to arrive at this asymmetrical five-pointed star shape, evoking infinity and dreams, which would become the symbol of the house of Mugler. A technical challenge of crystal making that pays homage to the childhood of the person concerned, during which he said he looked at the sky and observed a certain blue star that shone brighter than the others and seemed to attract him.

The Angel perfume bottle is original in its shape, both aesthetically pleasing and functional, but also avant-garde in its eco-responsible approach : each bottle is reusable and can be refilled at what is called the "Mugler Fountain," a service offered in perfumeries for refilling bottles. A refilling system that seems obvious today, but which Thierry Mugler, a visionary, pioneered with Angel.

Few perfumes give rise to an entire fragrance family, few have a lifespan exceeding thirty years, and few remain at the top of the bestseller lists for decades… yet Thierry Mugler's iconic Angel perfume has accomplished all of this. Innovative, desirable, and eco-responsible, it broke the mold of the perfume industry and secured its place within it for the long term.

L to R Fucking Palaces Etat Libre d'Orange, No 5 Chanel Paris Eau Premiere, Angel Thierry Mugler The Star Collection Eau de Parfum, Histoires de Parfums Noir Patchouli, and Aliage sport fragrance spray Estee Lauder (Photo by Anne Cusack/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)