Rock Style

What would it be from a pop star without his fashion-plate? Is it possible to imagine, Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, Alice Cooper or the Spice Girls, without remembering their clothes and make-up? The singer Patti Smith has such style that has already inspired a collection from the Belgian stylist Ann Demeulemester... To think about music, fashion and attitude is to match all of that in a huge universe of unforgettable remembrances and moments.

Rock Style does that - and well! - in a compilation which includes the pieces themselves, plus photographs, videos, record and magazine covers and celebrates the pop music influence in fashion and contrariwise, in the last fifty years. Organized by the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York together with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, (Cleveland), has been cheering up the Barbican, in London, since the beginning of October..

Elvis Presley, with his huge toupee , is right at the entrance.. He deserves! After all, according to the exhibition text itself, "the devil's libidinous cousin invented the rock star". Therefore, he won an exclusive display which gives us much history, brightness and precious stones and, of course, with a leather jacket worn in 1968.

And since any torn cloth which covers the body of an idol becomes a relic, the punk T-shirts that were dressed by Sid Vicious and others Sex Pistols carry such emotion like the Sergeant Peppers' coats , the colorful Beatles' coats ( Lonely Heart cover) and Madonna's golden "bustiê" .

Following, the boxes-displays are divided by the strongest trends of musical style, with the right for valuable information about the Glam, Hip-Hop, Punk, New wave, Metal Rock, Funk and Mod, also called Psychedelia movements. During the "trip" you can get across with James Brown's jacket suit, Prince's boots, Tina Turner's mini skirt, Debby Harry's dress embroidered with 2000 razor blades, Puffy Daddy's coat and much, much David Bowie.

Shoes are a subject apart: Innumerable are the fetishism cases for accessories by the stars , which can make them taller and more powerful... And this is an old passion: Elvis sings, in one of the video clip rooms - where the visitor can sing together - "Burn my house, steal my car but don't step on my blue sued shoes". And the Mods knew very well... Tells the tale that, match the shoes with clothes was, certainly, a more important concern than having a girlfriend.

The stars room, with a magnificent assembling - hangers with rotating structure - the hearth of an ardent fan will beat harder. It is possible to get very close to some suits as that extra-extra-large one, signed by Paul Smith, which framed the David Byrne's crazy movements (Talking Heads), singing Stop making sense; The Bono Vox's futuristic metallic blue made by Walter von Bierendonck for the Pop tour; the pin striped with a split in the breast and corselet, in which Jean Paul Gaultier dressed Madonna, when she was still more pervert than Zen. And as clothes are alive memory, it is impossible not to see the swinging movements of Mick Jagger's hips in the dungarees tied to the body and tressed in jig saw, hanging in the very high displays.

Just after, in the "Icons" room, Adidas' tennis shoes, Dr. Marteens' boots, Levi's 501 Jeans, Stussy's cap and John Travolta's cream suit in Saturday Night Fever, are still making the emotions boiling. They are unforgettable music and fashion symbols.

Union Jack jacket , worn by David Bowie in 1996 at Phoenix Festival, created by him and Alexander McQueen

Before the visitor could delight in the exit, choosing successes to listen in a juke box , surrounded by uncountable big vinyl record covers ( do you remember? ), a real special stop: the room where live the chameleons David Bowie, Madonna and Björk. In the lateral TVs , historical clips , like Ziggy Stardust, Fame or Sound & Vision, to just talk about Bowie. In the center, the original pieces focused by lights. Talking about Björk, the very irreverent girl, goes from Commes des Garçons to Hussein Chalayan, passing by Jeremy Scott, Alexander McQueen and Martin Margiela and prints personality to all the creations. It is a question of style!

Clothes for listening, music for dressing . Rock Style is a show of attitude.

Rock Style stays till January 14, 2001 at Barbican Art Gallery. Tickets - £7,50. Barbican tube station