October is the season of spooky fun and costume dress-up. For most of us, this is about becoming our favorite creatures and characters, but it’s fashion too! Fashion is about living authentically at any time of year (including adding fangs or glitter to your outfit).
Lady Gaga, one of my ultimate fashion inspirations, is never afraid to make a statement. Vogue calls Gaga “Fashion’s ultimate shapeshifter,” and Rolling Stone describes her as the “Queen of Pop.” Artist, entertainer, and fashion icon, Gaga is a great source of fashion confidence and inspiration.
Lady Gaga inspires me as a performer and fashionista. She is an artist who takes her craft and stage style to the next level, and I’ve been bringing her on stage with me since I was just 12 years old, performing a jazz solo on the Showstopper stage to Lady Gaga’s chart-topping hit “Telephone.” Her hit songs continuously top the music charts from “Poker Face” and “The Edge of Glory” to “Telephone” feat. Beyoncé and “Rain on Me” with Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga’s releases have always been songs to dance to, but the outfits and wondering what she would wear next were just as intriguing.
Throughout her career, the world’s eyes have been on Lady Gaga’s out-of-this-world fashion choices. “…Gaga’s fashion evolution has kept us guessing along the way. She’s the queen of transformation—drastically changing her look with each album release,” Vogue said. We can see this evolution in one place, the Haus of Gaga Las Vegas, Lady Gaga’s Residency Museum at Park MGM Resort. Fashion director Nicola Formichetti curated the museum, selecting iconic pieces and as Park MGM describes, “never-before-seen memorabilia.” The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards meat dress and the custom Alexander McQueen lace gown from her “Alejandro” music video are among the pieces on display.
“Don’t you ever let a single soul in the world tell you that you can’t be exactly who you are.”
Lady Gaga
A new fashion moment is created at each event Lady Gaga puts on. Among the standouts in Haus of Gaga is the “Telephone” headpiece. Ring, ring ring! Phones become fashion in the vibrant cobalt blue headpiece from Gaga’s 2010 “Telephone” music video. Created custom for Gaga by Fred Butler, this piece is a fashion statement and work of art. Gaga’s hair bow, which started a massive trend after it made its debut in her “Poker Face” music video in 2008, is also on display. Unlike the telephone headpiece, the bows were more accessible to Gaga’s fans, and they started popping up everywhere. The original bow was handmade by Patricia Morales, but I (and many tweens) wore my own version of the style to dance class.
The museum flexes Gaga’s relationship with designers who go for bold. A star of the museum and one of my favorite dresses is Lady Gaga’s 2019 Met Gala look, a creation by designer Brandon Maxwell. Gaga shined on the red carpet in this showstopping dress in floor-length fuchsia satin. A less-loved item, and only because they have never been worn, is a pair of one-of-a-kind Alexander McQueen (a known favorite of Gaga’s) shoes. Part of Lady Gaga’s private archive, the shoes feature handmade, detailed silk butterflies.
Gaga doesn’t only rock Alexander McQueen shoes—even though she owns three pairs of the controversial “Armadillo boots.” Fans can find the custom “Lady Pointe” ballet shoes in the Haus of Gaga Museum. These “pointe shoes” feature an 18-inch heel and delicate satin ribbons. They are displayed alongside a pair of Gaga’s custom “Dorothy” pointe shoes, complete with hundreds of ruby-red rhinestones. Now that is a high-heeled shoe!
A worldwide superstar who has graced the music and fashion industries, Gaga has also emerged in the beauty scene with a prominent makeup brand. She launched her clean artistry line Haus Labs in 2019. Her colorful and innovative products are “Created with kindness” and completely vegan. Haus Labs is part of Gaga’s ongoing story in fashion and design, and while it’s on display at Park MGM, it is only available at Sephora.
“You have to be unique and different and shine in your own way.”
Lady Gaga
A final feature of Haus of Gaga is Lady Gaga’s foundation. “Launched with her mother, Cynthia Germanotta in 2012, Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way Foundation‘ is dedicated to empowering youth, embracing differences, and inspiring kindness and bravery,'” Song Hall reports. While Haus of Gaga Las Vegas is at Park MGM, the items on display will periodically be auctioned off to benefit the foundation and its mission.
The future ahead is bright and beautiful. Lady Gaga empowers people to embrace their uniqueness, express themselves how they like to, and to shine! As Lady Gaga said, “Just dance!”