Casey Cadwallader is the creative director of Mugler.
Cadwallader studied architecture before an internship at Marc Jacobs changed his trajectory. He worked for almost two decades in the design studios of brands including Loewe, Narciso Rodriguez and Acne Studios before being appointed creative director of Mugler in January 2018.
Cadwallader faced challenges as the third designer tasked with turning around the brand in less than 10 years. But the designer quickly transformed Mugler into one of Paris’ labels to watch, as well as restoring its place as a go-to label for pop singers including Beyoncé and Dua Lipa .
In 2020, buzz around the brand exploded as Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion wore Cadwallader's nude illusion bodysuit in their viral "WAP" music video, and after Billie Eilish, known for her uniform of baggy T-shirts, wore a body-hugging Mugler ensemble in a much-hyped photo shoot for British Vogue.
As the coronavirus pandemic forced many brands to shift their runway shows online, Mugler stood out for its web-savvy collection videos directed by David Toro and Solomon Chase's Torso Solutions firm. The entrancing videos feature a cast of fashion and entertainment personalities like Bella Hadid , Chloë Sevigny, Amber Valletta and Hunter Schafer performing acrobatic stunts and strutting confidently in reverse.
Cadwallader has been a champion of inclusive casting, placing his curve-hugging, spiral-cut designs on all body types in an approach to fashion that departs from the French luxury industry's focus on promoting ultra-thin silhouettes.
