SoulAlive said:

More costume details:

http://www.telegraph.co.u...nna120.xml

As the ageless superstar begins a new tour, Hannah Betts talks to the woman behind her costumes

Madonna, who turned an unconvincing 50 at the weekend, is on the brink of a new tour - and inevitably it is generating a fashion frisson. For rather than opting for Country Casuals and elasticated waistbands, the woman who has enjoyed more incarnations than Proteus himself will, as ever, push the sartorial boundaries.

Madonna on tour
Dressed to thrill: Madonna on tour

The Sticky & Sweet tour, which opens in Cardiff on Saturday, features an intriguing mix of gangsta pimp, dominatrix and gipsy costumes. And with looks designed by Givenchy's Ricardo Tisci, shoes by Miu Miu, thigh-high boots custom-made by Stella McCartney and sundry items from Yves Saint Laurent and Roberto Cavalli, it leaves no fashion stone unturned, as these exclusive preview sketches show.

Although eyebrows are occasionally raised at the singer's off-duty wardrobe - her penchant for grubby tracksuits and silk bloomers, not least - her stage attire provokes nothing but awe.

"Madonna was the first of her kind," says Lorraine Candy, editor of Elle magazine. "Stars such as Debbie Harry, Patti Smith and Jane Birkin had distinct looks and their own natural styles. But Madonna really entered into the fashion world. Her relationship with Gaultier made her like the supermodels of the time. It's never a catwalk look, it's creating a whole new self, and exploiting cultural references to get this self talked about. In doing so, she transformed herself into a brand."

One woman has been Madonna's collaborator on this venture since 1997 - equivalent to at least a century in fashion years. Arianne Phillips, 45, and based in LA, first met the performer at a shoot for Rolling Stone magazine, and has styled her concerts ever since.

"I had been an admirer of Madonna for years," says Phillips, "idolising her awareness of visual style, her sensibilities, her forever moving forward. I never dreamed I'd get to work with her." Phillips has also styled Justin Timberlake and Courteney Cox, yet her own appearance belies her guru status. "You wouldn't see me and think: 'There goes Madonna's stylist'. My look is pretty low-key: lots of black, nothing that screams fashion, apart from the alert look on my face."

Phillips also helps Madonna with album covers, film and theatre appearances and award ceremonies, maintains a separate magazine and film career, and was nominated for an Oscar for the costumes in the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line.

It is touring, however, that is the most strenuous role. Not only does the diva herself require dressing, but Phillips must also take responsibility for the 26 other performers. She marshals the work of other designers and creates a good deal of the outfits herself - a role she describes as "the perfect synergy between styling and costume design".

For this, their fourth tour, there will be four motifs. The first, a dominatrix-style gangsta pimp/Art Deco look by Givenchy; an "Old School" phase harking back to Madonna's early days in New York; a paean to Romany romance, also courtesy of Givenchy; and a futuristic rave moment rich in Japanese influences.

Candy's favourite outfit is the gipsy look. "It feels most now," she says. "The colours are very strong, and there's that religious element going on. As ever, she's saying: 'Look at my body.' And why wouldn't she? It must be Olympic standard."

Other conspirators, notably Italian label Dsquared's Dean and Dan Caten, who created 150 pieces for Madonna's tour in 2000-01, have remarked upon her control-freakiness. "She is amazing," says Dan. "She knows exactly what she wants." Phillips concurs: "Madonna is 100 per cent involved."

More even than the leather-look Rolling Stones or the still sprightly Tina Turner, Madonna's age attracts comment. Her position is robust. "I'm not going to be defined by my age," she says. "Why should any woman?"

Lorraine Candy agrees. "The age thing is irrelevant," she says. "As someone who has just turned 40, I'm really bored by being told what's right for a certain age. We should wear what we want to wear. Madonna's body may be unique, but we can all learn something from her spirit of transformation - her attitude."

In effect, Madonna's chameleon quality makes her the embodiment of fashion. "No one else is able to do that reinvention, and that's what fashion is," says Candy. "Someone like Posh Spice looks like the puppet of designers. The clothes wear her. Madonna wears the clothes."



Madonna's tour outfits, from left to right: Rave look: trousers by Cavalli; Miu Miu boots; all other items by Arianne Phillips; Pimp look: clothes by Givenchy; boots Stella McCartney; Old School: belt by YSL; sunglasses Moschino; boots Miu Miu; T-shirt by Prada; all other items by Arianne Phillips. Cloak gipsy: all items Givenchy; Gipsy: shirt by YSL; boots by Stella McCartney; all other items Givenchy

the tour begins in three days! How many of you are gonna be at your computers on Saturday night,looking for the first reports and photos?

So soon already? I put my tickets in the back of the drawer and haven’t looked at them since. I may need to check the dates before it creeps up on me. I can’t wait to hear some feedback on the show.

JackieBlue said:

What New York show are you going to? One of the NY shows is being filmed for the DVD!

SoulAlive said:

Really? I think I'm going on the 21st but not sure. Is that even a NY date? I have to check my ticket.

wow, that setlist looks like a bunch of ass.

i was going to buy tickets on Saturday for the Detroit show, but i'm going to have to reconsider now. yeesh.

"3500 Number of individual wardrobe elements for tour

653 Hours of rehearsal time for Madonna and band

250 Number of travelling personnel

200 Triangle sponges used to apply makeup

180 Q-Tips used for entire tour (3 per night)

120 Powder puffs

100 Pairs of out of stock fishnet, pantyhose in old style weave,
purchased for Madonna via ebay and local dance shops

100 Pairs of kneepads

69 Guitars

36 Different Designers contributed to the onstage wardrobe

30 Wardrobe Trunks travel to each venue

28 Maximum number of performers onstage

20 Nationalities represented in touring stuff (including Japanese, Israeli, Russian, Romanian, Australian and Algerian)

18 Racks of Clothing for Band, dancers and gypsies

16 Caterers

12 Seamstresses working non stop in Cardiff to finish
costumes for opening night

12 Travelling trampolines used in training by Madonna and dancers

10 Large flight cases of medical supplies

10 Number of guitars Madonna will travel with

9 Number of people working in wardrobe department

8 Major Madonna Costume changes

5 Number of people it takes to change Madonna into next
costume

5 Keyboards on stage for Kevin Antunes, Musical Director

4 Large freezers to carry ice packs for Madonna and dancers

4 YSL Lipsticks will cover entire tour

3 Romanian gypsy musicians playing acoustic instruments

3 Racks of Clothing contain Madonna's stage wardrobe

3 Shu Uemura eyelash curlers

2 Rigs for DJ set up

2 Stages

1.5 Minutes - Shortest time required to change Madonna's costumes between numbers

1 Chiropractor

1 Personal trainer

1 Masseuse

1 Set of Swarovski crystal ear phones for DJ

Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour Kicks Off This Saturday In Cardiff

Madonna, currently putting the finishing touches to her fabulous new Sticky & Sweet Show in Cardiff, is readying herself and the 250 travelling personnel for the opening night this Saturday at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

Hot on the diamante shaped heels of her phenomenally successful 'Hard Candy' disc, 'Sticky & Sweet' promises two pulsating hours of non stop hits in a show that features 16 dancers, a 12 piece band, more than 8 costume changes for the lady herself and £l million of Swarovski crystals.

The audience is taken on a rock driven dancetastic journey that's broken into four sections:

Pimp
A mashed up homage to 1920's deco and modern day gangsta pimp. Madonna makes a grand entrance dressed by Givenchy.

Old School
Madonna tips her hat to her early 80's downtown New York City dance roots with flashes of Keith Haring and the dance culture vibe of the time including the birth of rap.

Gypsy
A VIP trip to La Isla Bonita infused by the spirit of Romanian folk music and dance. A tour de force.

Rave
Far eastern influences emerge all sparkly and sporty.

'Sticky & Sweet' kicks off this Saturday August 23rd at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. The tour hits London's Wembley Stadium September 11th."

it's time to have a sticky thread about the tour.

It will be my first madonna show ever!

contrapposto said:

Damn!! It takes ALOT to put this show together.

JackieBlue said:

she's playing 4 dates in New York City (Madison Square Garden):

October 6
October 7
October 11
October 12

the last two dates are gonna be filmed for the DVD You better represent!

Matronik said:

I've seen the Blond Ambition tour,the Drowned World Tour (twice),the Re-Invention Tour (three times) and the Confessions tour (twice).I'm seeing the Sticky and Sweet tour twice

Ironically,my favorite Madonna tour is the one tour that never made it to my area: The Girlie Show.

SoulAlive said:

I forgot to check my ticket again but I think it’s the 11th or 12th because I hate going to shows during the week. But then I hate going to shows on Sunday too. Now I’m really curious.

JackieBlue said:

October 11 is a Saturday,October 12 is a Sunday You're in for a fun,wild weekend!

it's time to get your hands up
it's time to get your body moving
it's time to get your hands up
it's time to get your body moving

Who's ready to party?

I live in Cardiff and can't wait for Saturday!

2 sleeps to go!

Keep the information coming, it's very exciting!!!

Lisa

newpowerhippies said:

If I lived in Cardiff,I'd be losing my mind right now Enjoy the show and I look forward to reading your review!!

SoulAlive said:

It's Saturday!

SoulAlive said:

Hee me either i'll try not to get too hysterical or too drunk!

Lisa

EXCLUSIVE: CHOREOGRAPHY SUBMISSIONS FOR THE STICKY AND SWEET TOUR!

These choreography submissions are by Michael Schwandt and DDO Artists Agency.He submitted these ideas to Jamie King and Madonna,but we don't know if this is what will be used for the tour.

MILES AWAY


HEARTBEAT


SHE'S NOT ME


SPANISH LESSON

[Edited 8/22/08 2:34am]

I really like them. Thogh I heard soem fans don't. But those might be the people wo decided to hate the HC era anyway!!
But if this IS he choreography I guess many parts of Heartbeat are from tape....I can't see Madonna singing Heartbeat that high. They could transfer it in another key anyway? (B instead C??)

graecophilos said:

I like the choreography for "Heartbeat".I want something more dramatic and powerful for "Miles Away".I have a feeling that Jamie King came up with something better than these ideas.

JackieBlue said:

newpowerhippies said:

The show's tomorrow....how are things in Cardiff right now? Any fans hanging around the venue?

SoulAlive said:

yep, I like the Heartbeat choreography best. But wasn't supoosed to have a shoe changing thing?
Anyway, the first seuqence where they all cling together and simulating abeating heart is great idea.

graecophilos said:

Yeah,I heard about the "shoe changing" thing but I'm not sure what it's about.Maybe it occurs when she sings "If you could stand in my shoes..."

Yep Souly, you're right. Hey, I think the webmaster should start a Sticky for the tour.

SoulAlive said:

YES! They are camped out in those little pop up tents looking REALLY excited. if I didn't have kids I would be there too! I just had to watch some of the last tour to get me in the mood. GOOD GRIEF! How long until tomorrow!!

OH and WHY isn't there a Madonna sticky?????

Lisa

newpowerhippies said:

OH and she has been here for 10 days apparently. Practising. Oh for the pre-kids days when I could be there listening outside...

Lisa