October 15, 2004
ONE of Portugal's top fashion designers unveiled a summer 2005 collection today inspired by flamboyant rock superstar Freddie Mercury who died of AIDS in 1991.
As hit songs by the legendary band Queen, which Mercury fronted, blared in the background, models wearing thick silver chains over black open-chested silk shirts full of frills reminiscent of those used by the singer paraded across the catwalk.
Other tattooed male models wore tight-fitting black bikini underwear with the word "Queen" written on the backside in silver glitter or white T-shirts with the image of Mercury's face created in sequins.
Miguel Vieira, whose fashions are sold in New York, London and Tokyo, said his team of 12 stylists carried out an exhaustive background check of the singer's videos and concert performances to prepare the collection.
"Freddie Mercury is a global musical and fashion icon of the 20th century, we can all hum some of his songs, and I wanted to do a tribute to him," he told AFP.
"I think he was a very exuberant man who captivated the thousands of people who made their way to his concerts."
Queen, one of rock's most theatrical groups, produced a string of hits during the 1970s and 80s, including "Bohemian Rhapsody", "We Are the Champions" and "We Will Rock You".
Zanzibar-born Mercury himself flirted with fashion design and produced scores of drawings as well as a few actual garments.
Vieira's show opened Lisbon Fashion Week, a four-day showcase of Portuguese designers' ready-to-wear collections which has been held twice a year since 1983.
Filmed by Fashion TV, the international cable channel dedicated to fashion, and covered by more than 40 fashion journalists from around the world, the event marks an attempt by the local fashion industry to market itself and plug Portuguese collections to potential buyers.
Agence France-Presse
Freddie Mercury,the only contemporary total artist icon.You can't imagine anyone else,nor singer or artist touching and inspiring so different people in so different fields of art.
THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!