Stage Costumes: Enter Stage Right

By Jessica Kosinski

Stage costumes have long been a defining feature of live performances, allowing musicians to amplify their personas and connect with audiences in memorable ways. Many of them have been so iconic that they have been collected or otherwise preserved as cultural artifacts that symbolize entire eras of music history. Let’s take a peek at some of history’s most famous musicians, their stage costumes, and where some of those costumes are today.

Madonna’s Cone Bra

Madonna’s cone bra, designed by Jean Paul Gaultier, is one of the most recognizable concert costumes in pop music history. Worn during her Blond Ambition tour, the outfit was both provocative and empowering, challenging societal norms around femininity and sexuality. The cone bra became a symbol of Madonna’s fearless artistry and cemented her status as a cultural icon. Today, one of the original cone bras resides in a private collection after being auctioned for $52,000 in 2012.

Michael Jackson’s Sequined Glove

Michael Jackson first wore a white glove during his legendary performance of “Billie Jean” on a television special celebrating 25 years of Motown in 1983. Paired with a black fedora and glittering jacket, the glove became an enduring symbol of Jackson’s innovation and style. In fact, he became so known for wearing one that several were made and are still around today. In 2009, one of his gloves sold at auction for $350,000. The collector who purchased it is believed to still own it as of 2025.

Another glove is often displayed at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, ensuring its legacy is preserved for fans and future generations. Michael’s “Billie Jean” glove used during his performance at the 1983 Grammy Awards sold in 2020 for $104,000.

Prince’s Famous Stage Outfits

Prince is widely regarded as one of the best musicians of all time. He was also one of the most visually iconic with his flamboyant fashion sense. Every appearance he made on stage was a visual surprise and feast for the eyes, as well as the ears, of fans in attendance. His obsession with the color purple and his general flair for fashion transformed the music industry in ways still apparent today.

Prince’s former estate in Minnesota, known as Paisley Park, was turned into a museum after his death in 2016. Thanks to careful work by Paisley Park preservationists and archivists, thousands of his garments are preserved for generations to come. The Minnesota Historical Society sometimes displays pieces from the Paisley Park collection. Often, they are loaned out and exhibited at various venues around the world as well. There are also some pieces that have made it into the hands of private collectors over the years, including a ruffled white shirt and purple trench coat sold by Bonhams auction house in 2021.

Cher’s Iconic Outfits

Another icon of the music industry is Cher. She is so iconic, in fact, that she once wore an outfit known as “The Icon” during a Las Vegas residency from 2017 through 2020. She has been in the music industry for more than six decades and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024. At that time, she and her long-time costume designer, Bob Mackie, displayed several of her outfits there. Many are also owned by a private collector living in Ohio. That collector often loans outfits out for exhibition so all of her fans around the world can enjoy them.

Elvis Presley’s Jumpsuits

Elvis Presley’s elaborate jumpsuits from his Las Vegas performances in the 1970s are among the most famous stage costumes ever worn by a musician. Many of the jumpsuits were designed by Bill Belew and featured intricate embroidery and rhinestones. Today, several of Elvis’s jumpsuits are housed at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. Visitors can see them displayed as part of exhibitions celebrating his career. His Mexican Sundial jumpsuit was altered as his body changed over time and was the last one he wore to perform before he passed away in 1977 at the age of 42.

Sir Elton John’s Famous Outfits

Few singers are as iconic as Sir Elton John, who was a close family friend of the British Royal Family and sang at Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997. He was also knighted by Queen Elizabeth II the following year.

Often known for wearing large glasses, the singer has also worn many iconic outfits over his lengthy career, which were designed by famous designers, including Bob Machie and Gianni Versace.

When it comes to accessories, Elton is known for his multitude of unique and whimsical eyeglasses. Sometimes, he would wear multiple pairs to go with his changing stage costumes. He owns over 15,000 pairs of glasses in his own collection.

Many of Sir Elton John’s iconic outfits are often on display in various museums, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) in Seattle, Washington. Some are owned by private collectors who frequently loan them out for exhibitions and events. For instance, his famous Donald Duck outfit worn at a concert in New York’s Central Park in 1980 is in the hands of a private collector. However, it was displayed at a pop-up store in London for a short time in 2023.

Collecting Iconic Stage Costumes Worn By Musicians

Collecting iconic stage costumes worn by musicians can be a rewarding hobby, but it isn’t a good hobby for everyone. Many such costumes are quite expensive. Also, you have to have the space in which to store them. Most need careful climate control for preservation as well. Therefore, you need to plan ahead if you want to start collecting them. However, there are some ways to make the process easier. For example, collector Landon Annoni works with stylists and designers who pay him to carefully archive outfits they produce for today’s top musical artists. Some collectors also make money by operating small museums and charging admission fees for visitors to view their collections.

Even if you don’t have the resources to collect stage costumes worn by your favorite artists, there are plenty of places you can go around the world to view them. Thanks to the internet, you can even take virtual tours of many museums from the comfort of your own home and feel like you are up close and personal with some of the most iconic outfits ever worn by famous musicians. When you see them online or in person, you’ll see exactly why they are more than just pieces of clothing. Many are works of art and tangible pieces of some of the greatest moments in music history.

 

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Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance researcher and writer since 2001. She developed a passion for pre-1990s television and films as a child and she has never grown out of it. Recently, she turned that passion into a retro TV and film blog. Follow along with her at https://medium.com/@jkos_writing, as she dives deep into the characters, actors, quirks, and trivia that brought us some of the greatest films and shows in TV history and also discusses some of the more obscure films and shows most of us may have forgotten.

 

 

May 2025: Collecting Music