Zandra Rhodes Reveals What It Was Like To Dress Freddie Mercury

The Telegraph tracked down Zandra Rhodes, who remembered what it was like to dress Queen's Freddie Mercury. She recalled, "One day Freddie [Mercury] rang me. I didn't really know who he was then. He said he and Brian [May] wanted outfits for a big show."

Rhodes continued:

"They both turned up about 7 o'clock one night, clattering up three flights of stairs in their platform boots. I hadn't designed any menswear then, but I'd already done some things for Marc Bolan, so I knew they'd want something flamboyant. Freddie needed to be able to move his arms, so he loved the idea of pleats."

Rhodes remembered the final, white satin creations but she couldn't recall how much she charged for them. Her designs will be featured in the "Stormtroopers in Stilettos: Queen, The Early Years" exhibition, set to open in London later this month. Also on display? Freddie's ballet pumps. The Telegraph writes of a 1976 anecdote:

Sid Vicious bumped into Freddie and said 'Ullo Fred, I see you've bought ballet to the masses then.' To which Freddie replied, 'Oh yes, Mr Ferocious. Trying my best dear.'

My dear! Read the rest at the Telegraph. And for more rock and roll style, check out what was in Janis Joplin's purse.

Comments

[Raider88]

10:17 AM on 02/11/2011

These wannabees today have no chance of capturing the magic of Freddie (and those like him). These kids are all posers.

[Ronni01]

07:18 PM on 02/10/2011

What is it like to dress like Freddy Mercury? ...Ask Lady GaGa

[Max Shaw]

02:12 PM on 02/10/2011

No one could ever take Freddie's place...I am though interested to see how the movie turns out. I have doubts about Sascha Baron Cohen being able to truly embody the awesomeness and eccentricty of such a rock legend.

[ontariogirl]

10:21 AM on 02/10/2011

Queen was the first rock concert I went to. Freddie died too young and its a shame because he was one of the greats. Forever missed by me.

[Nicole Dixson]

09:42 AM on 02/10/2011

I loved this dude!!

[Classof89]

08:27 AM on 02/10/2011

Love me some Queen and my heart, Freddie Mercury. If anyone needs the definition of what commanding and captivating an audience is, this man was (and still is) it.

[Absolon]

10:08 AM on 02/10/2011

Faved the comment. Your avatar makes me want to barf, though.

[Max Shaw]

02:10 PM on 02/10/2011

Im curious as to why it makes you nauseous?

[Classof89]

06:37 AM on 02/11/2011

Thanks for the comment fave, but my avatar stays.

[BlueZoo]

12:36 AM on 02/10/2011

I believe the death of Freddie Mercury accounts for one of the reasons I despise the Reagans so. Their attitude re the AIDS epidemic just left me furious! I loved Freddie Mercury and I am often reminded of how much fantastic music we were deprived of from his dying so young. He was the most incredible performer I have ever seen and I was lucky enough to see him three times in London. I should have known that Zandra Rhodes had designed clothes for him but I didn't. Looking back on those concerts and certain videos, I can see now which clothes she did for him. She's always been one of those designers whose clothes were really outre but then so was Freddie Mercury! A match made in rock 'n roll heaven!

[eugenemyst]

11:03 PM on 02/09/2011

oops, I meant to say "plenty of us" dressed like....

[eugenemyst]

11:01 PM on 02/09/2011

In the seventies, plenty of dressed like Freddie Mercury at the bar, and went home to dress like rednecks later. I wonder if that happens still.

[Mary Karius]

10:21 PM on 02/09/2011

Freddie = Fabulous. The void you left behind has never been filled. We miss you.

[V P]

08:45 PM on 02/09/2011

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Mercury :: RIP . Seemed like he was sort of ashamed of his Indian Side though..

[Stephanie71]

10:18 PM on 02/09/2011

Indian side? He lived in India but he wasn't Indian. He was Persian. Read that wiki you linked ;)

RIP Freddie

[Stephanie71]

10:22 PM on 02/09/2011

Though I suppose if I read more about Parsis I'd see they'd been in India since 5 AD. I guess its all in how you self identify.

I mean I consider myself American but also Italian and Hungarian since that's where my genes come from.

Maybe since we've become so spread out everywhere we should just self identify as human and leave it at that. It gets far too confusing otherwise :D

[Absolon]

10:10 AM on 02/10/2011

Human, one and all.

[phoenixx1]

07:55 PM on 02/09/2011

I remember driving through Texas when Bohemian Rhapsody came on the radio for the first time. It was so different, the mix so rock'n'roll operatic & his voice was incredible..the hair on the back of my neck rose up...from then on Freddie & Queen stayed in our music files and will always be in our hearts.

[lmb21]

07:51 PM on 02/09/2011

The world was a better place with him in it. I miss Freddie.

[hoocheekoo]

06:51 PM on 02/09/2011

Freddie and Queen got as much sound out of 4 people and 3 (sometimes 4) instruments as some full-scale orchestra! Freddie was the Volcano of Rock!

[rubbercow]

06:44 PM on 02/09/2011

Love Freddie! Beautiful man with a beautiful voice! My wife and I had the good fortune of visiting Montreux and had to go by his statue twice even! Never will be another like him.