Celebrating the King of Style

Michael Jackson was born August 29, 1958. Today, we celebrate his life with a feature about our upcoming book, The King of Style, a fascinating look at the intersection of music and fashion, as well as an homage to Michael Jackson, whose brilliant fusing of costume, personality, and performance created the iconic image. 

The King of Pop needs little introduction. Arguably the most successful entertainer of all time, Michael Jackson owes his luminous legacy not only to his inspiring music, but also to his iconic fashion sense. In the 1980s, the formative era of music videos, Michael’s dazzling visual presentations impacted the world unlike any performer, before or since.

Through his music, dance, and fashion, Michael Jackson created a mystique that was unique to him and recognized as such throughout the world. For five decades he mesmerized audiences—and for twenty-five of those years Michael Bush was there as Jackson’s designer, stylist, and friend, accompanying the King of Pop on his journey to becoming the King of Style.Michael Bush and his partner, Dennis Tompkins, joined Jackson during the making of Bad, and the duo quickly became central in developing the looks that made him a style sensation. As their professional relationship developed, so did their friendship. Bush was there before and after every performance, and his personal stories reveal the man behind the public persona. Before there was “Billie Jean,” there was the child star of the Jackson Five, setting rhinestones in his show-clothes by hand. Jackson grew up to become a master of fusing fashion and performance, inspiring his collaborators with intriguing riddles and unrelenting confidence.

While paying homage to the original Billie Jean, Beat It, and Thriller looks that put Jackson on the fashion map,The King of Style also traces their evolution over several decades. Jackson’s penchant for the military silhouette is explored in detail, along with the trade secrets behind the sequined glove and the fencing uniform that he, Bush, and Tompkins reinvented to make stage magic. It was Michael Bush who dressed Jackson for the final time, before he was buried. Dozens of garments were left unfinished by his shocking death.

The legacy of Michael Jackson lives on. An artist like none other, he transformed everything he touched—from the fabric of his clothes to his legions of fans around the world. 

The King of Style: Dressing Michael Jackson
by Michael Bush
Available for pre-order, in stores in October

Michael Bush worked personally with Michael Jackson for twenty-five years to create some of the most original and indelible clothing ever worn by a musical performer. Using his professional background in theatrical costume construction and dance, Bush and his partner, Dennis Tompkins, created thousands of custom artistic pieces that captured the essence of a one-of-a-kind pop star. He lives in Hollywood, CA.

This Day in Music History (1964)

Aug 19, 1964: The Beatles kick off first U.S. tour at San Francisco's Cow Palace

When the Beatles first landed in the U.S. before their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, photographer Ken Regan was there to capture the moment. Later that same year, in August of 1964, Regan was there again as the Beatles took to the stage for their first U.S. concert.

In his own words, and an excerpt from his book, "All Access: The Rock 'N' Roll Photography of Ken Regan," he noted his surprise when he realized who the man was he was about to photograph:

When The Beatles returned to America in August, 1965, for their second tour and played the Sullivan show again, I got one of my favorites. Walking the aisles, one audience member caught my eye: an older man sitting with his fingers plugged in his ears to mute the high-pitched squeals. As I moved in for this terrific shot, I got a closer look and realized I was photographing the legendary composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein.

Leonard Bernstein and his family take in the concert, August 1965 (photo by Ken Regan)

To see more of Ken Regan's class photographs featuring The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen and more, pick up a copy of his photography collection that GQ described as "an exhaustive, gorgeously composed inside look at some of rock 'n' roll's most famous and famously private artists in intimate and outrageous settings."

Mail-Order Catalog Day

Do you ever purchase things from a catalog description only to be disappointed by what you receive? Hopefully that doesn't happen when you search from our online catalog of books, but if you have ever come across the Mail-Order Mysteries like Kirk Demarais, you'll appreciate the humor and insight in his collection of items that he picked up along the way, so you don't have to!

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