Performers Who Made Stage Costumes Part of Their Identity

A stage costume can make rhythm visible, turn an entrance into a story or establish a character before the first note. These performers use clothing as part of the show itself. The selection follows recognisable collaborations with designers and stylists, with attention to movement, silhouette and the demands of performing live. Start with Tina Turner's fringe and Freddie Mercury's pleats for clothes animated by the body, or Lady Gaga's moving dress and David Byrne's oversized suit for garments that alter it. Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung show how concert wardrobes can carry emotional and artistic arguments across a whole production. The examples lean towards pop and concert entertainment in Britain and America, with Hong Kong, Icelandic and Spanish performers broadening the picture. This is a selection of distinctive approaches, not a ranking of expense or an attempt to name every influential stage dresser.