When was the last time you looked at a popstar and thought “I want to be HER”? Was it Kelly Clarkson? Fergie? Taylor Swift? Perhaps I’m being solipsistic, but I will bravely wager a “no” here. Searching for an idol in the post-Y2K pop landscape is a sad and fruitless task, indeed. Justin became a cipher. Britney became a tragedy, then halfheartedly rebounded. Michael died, suddenly becoming pop’s third saint (you can guess the first two). Skipping Madonna, who has reached evergreen status, we’re left with Miley, Beyonce, and Rihanna. Sure, these women are popular, but do they inspire worship? They service us with tunes, but do they represent something more? Then, I get it: they do, actually. They epitomize what happens when The Girl Next Door gets a record deal in the era of Simon Cowell. And guess what? It’s boring.
A few years ago, a young female singer named Stefani Germanotta undoubtedly agreed. Frustrated by the particularly joyless American pop scene of the mid-2000s, she sought to fill the superstar void. She donned a glittery leotard and wig, hustled the NYC club circuit, called herself Lady Gaga, and told the world to take notice. By late 2008, we had. By late 2009, her simple wish had been granted: she was a bonafide pop Icon. Welcome to the Gaga Effect – a new era for pop aesthetics.
Speaking of style, Lady Gaga currently dictates it, both on the runways and the streets. Because of their infamous appearance in her “Bad Romance” video, Alexander McQueen’s Spring 2010 infamous twelve-inch “Armadillo” heels went from obscenely priced cult item amongst the high-fashion set to “those weird claws” recognized by any household. Pantlessness is now de rigueur, as the Spring 2010 runways confirmed. Charlie Le Mindu, creator of the “haute coiffure” fantastical wigs and headpieces worn by Gaga, was recently interviewed by The New York Times and has become a cult icon in his own right. That’s another part of the Gaga Effect: her idols become ours.
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Colleen Nika is a New York City based fashion and music writer and regular contributor to Interview, Paper, Blackbook, and style.com.
