When the sweatshirt found Prada
Not everyone starts their career at Showbiz with High Fashion. And in the case of Alanis Morissette, an alternative rock icon of the 90s, the history of his first piece of designer has a pop touch, a pinch of humility and, of course, Madonna.
In an interview with the British newspaper The Sunday TimesAlanis told how the pop queen was responsible for giving her her first branded blouse and not nobody: a green meal that marked the beginning of a new phase of her life and music.
It all started when the Canadian young man exchanged the cold of Ottawa for the creative heat of Los Angeles in the early 90s. In the suitcase, a lot of talent, sharp letters and … basically only sweatshirts.
“I was very cheap. I haven’t seen sense to spend money on expensive clothes,” said Alanis. While writing the album that would change his career, Small jagged pillHe was called for a meeting with Guy Oseary, then a businessman from the label Maverick – the seal founded by no less than Madonna.
Wearing the best (a beaten sweatshirt), Alanis arrived, sat on the floor and presented traces like “Perfect”, “Hand in your pocket” and “You Outta Know”. The impact was immediate. Oseary took her on the spot. The rest is history but not without before an unexpected fashion moment.
Madonna: The Godmother Pops in the scene
Madonna, according to Alanis, not only supervised Seal’s artists, but she liked to actively participate in creative decisions. “She showed up, gave opinions. It was present,” recalls the singer.
It was during one of these informal encounters that Madonna looked at the beginner and, with his always acute pop and radar, he decided that it was time to improve his colleague’s wardrobe.
“Girl, I will give you your first shirt,” Madonna would have said before delivering Alanis a comedy from Prada. A green blouse. Simple? Not so much. “I was paralyzed by the game value,” Alanis confessed. But the queen of pop, pragmatic and generous, just replied: “Take, Honey!”
More than a head of clothing, the gift became a symbol of that moment of turning point. The album Small jagged pill (1995), published by Maverick, became a global phenomenon. He sold millions, wrapped a prize and put Alanis at the center of pop culture, with blows that have gone through generations such as “You Outta Know”, “Ironic” and “Head Over Feet”.
The Prada blouse? We do not know if Alanis is still supervised, but the gesture has remained and has become another delicious story behind the scenes that helps to draw the portrait of two women who redefined what was an artist in the 90s.
One with sweatshirts. The other with the brands. And in the midst of all this, an unlikely friendship that wore the history of pop well.
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
