Avengers-Inspired Fashion: Catsuits On The Catwalks Of Paris

Fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier has been watching a lot of Avengers lately, it seems.  His new collection for French fashion house Hermès is entirely inspired by the cult Sixties spy series.  According to The New York Times, Laurie Johnson's Avengers theme music accompanied his runway show as fifty-four looks inspired by John Steed's (Patrick Macnee) trademark umbrella and bowler and Emma Peel's (Diana Rigg) catsuits and mod gear strutted down the catwalk.  This certainly isn't the first time The Avengers has inspired fashion; the iconic series and its stars spawned their own apparel lines in their day, and have continued to influence designers every since.  A flurry of new looks inspired by the show's wardrobe accompanied the ill-fated 1998 film version of The Avengers as well.  Gaultier's unique twist on the concept is in combining Steed and Mrs. Peel's signature outfits. Besides the traditional "Emmapeeler" leather catsuit that led off the show (molded onto a model looking more like Uma Thurman than Rigg), other female models sported Steed-like suits–many in leather.  All were accompanied by bowlers.  Other leatherware owed more to Honor Blackman's Cathy Gale wardrobe, and even some of Emma's more mod looks have been leatherized.  It just goes to prove that The Avengers never goes out of style!  Vogue adds that the show tipped its bowler to another spy as well; after "The Avengers Theme" wrapped up, the music segued into "The James Bond Theme" and then Duran Duran's "A View To A Kill." The Times has a (mixed) review of the collection here, and you can see the whole thing for yourself in a slideshow at New York Magazine. or watch an edited video on YouTube or below: