Rock and pop costume
- Place of origin:
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
Ant, Adam, born 1954 (designer)
Whiteing, Charles David (costumier)
Swinden, Yvonne (designer)
- Credit Line:
Given by Stuart Leslie Goddard (Adam Ant)
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
Theatre & Performance, Room 106, case 6, shelf B []
After starting his career in a punk rock band in the late 1970s, and acting in Derek Jarman's punk film Jubilee, Ant's musical and artistic direction changed after hiring Malcolm McLaren in 1980. McLaren's assistance in redefining their image resulted in the piratical theme that became a hallmark of Adam and the Ants, despite McLaren subsequently persuading the rest of the Ants to leave and form a separate band, Bow Wow Wow. After regrouping with a new backing band, Adam and the Ants became one of the most successful British acts of the early 1980s; their image and style of music was at the forefront of the burgeoning New Romantic movement.
Ant advised in the design of all his own costumes, indebted to historical, military and tribal dress, working with stylists and costumiers. This one is perhaps the most widely known of all, having been used for the publicity photographs and promotional video for the single, Prince Charming, and later on tour. There are two shirts, two pairs of breeches, two wigs and two scarves, not identical but in similar styles, all worn in different combinations on tour. The gold and black striped shirt and the dark silver leather breeches were worn for the publicity photographs and in the video.
Physical description
m Wig specialities Jerry Rexm (adam ant2) Stage jace; front made from film lace. spare - have not cut the lace back. Over crown rubber/latex diamond under the lace section of rubber so that scalp parting effect. Human italian hair? braids, long fringe, pony tail wrapped in string and leather tong. String in braids. beads sewn in. pony tail at crown of head. Adam ant (1) lace has been cut back. ponytail at crown has been trimmed short . 22+
Place of Origin
Great Britain (made)
Date
1981 (made)
Artist/maker
Ant, Adam, born 1954 (designer)
Whiteing, Charles David (costumier)
Swinden, Yvonne (designer)
Dimensions
Height: 164 cm approx., Width: 59 cm approx., Depth: 25 cm approx., Length: 70 cm Shirt (B), collar to hem, Width: 48 cm Shirt (B), shoulder width, Length: 70 cm Breeches (D), waist to hem, Width: 60 cm Breeches (D), width, Weight: 1.1 kg Packed weight of parts B and D
Object history note
This multi-part costume was worn in 1981 by Adam Ant for the publicity photographs and promotional video for the single, Prince Charming, and later on tour. There are two shirts, two pairs of breeches, two wigs and two scarfs, not identical but in similar styles, all worn in different combinations on tour. The gold and black striped shirt (S.140A-1983) and the dark silver leather breeches (S.140C-1983) were worn for the publicity photographs and in the video.
Descriptive line
'Prince Charming' costume worn by Adam Ant, 1981
Labels and date
'Prince Charming' outfit worn by Adam Ant
1981
Adam Ant was the idiosyncratic front man of the British New Wave band Adam and the Ants. He spearheaded its artistic direction and designed all his own costumes. Now iconic, these costumes are indebted to historical, military and tribal dress. The one worn in the video for the 'Prince Charming' single is perhaps the most widely known of all. [60 words]
Wool, satin, furnishing fabric, Lurex, leather and plastic
Jacket made by Dave Whiting
Given by Stuart Leslie Goddard (known as Adam Ant)
Museum no. S.140&A, C, E to K, N, O-1983 []
Categories
Entertainment & Leisure; Stage costumes; Gender and Sexuality
Collection
Theatre and Performance Collection
