Meet the man behind Madonna's tour outfits

Big leaguers Beyoncé, Anna Dello Russo and Madonna have all been spotted in creations by Fausto Puglisi - but who is he?

Fausto Puglisi

It wouldn't be a Madonna tour without the outlandish outfits - Jean Paul Gaultier's conical-bra corsets, Dolce & Gabbana's rhinestone confections and Givenchy's S&M-ish leather have been some of her most memorable in the past. For her MDNA tour, which stopped off in London last night, they come courtesy of Gaultier again, who has revamped his famous piece from 1990's Blond Ambition tour - and one Fausto Puglisi, whose menacing bullet chains, fur coats and ram masks for her backing dancers are pitch-perfect.

Never heard of him? Neither had we, but alongside Madonna, big leaguers like Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Anna Dello Russo, whom Puglisi credits for his ascent, are already acquainted with his flamboyant creations - impressive for someone who's had no formal design training (he studied Greek and Latin literature) and started his label two years ago. His line, inspired by the "power, sex and decadence of the Roman empire", is stocked in Spiga2, Dolce & Gabbana's Milan concept store. The 36-year-old Sicilian has also consulted for Versace, the label his work is often compared to, and worked with David LaChapelle. In short, the man is going places - we accost him for his musings.

On dressing Madonna 

"It's all about the incredible work of Arianne Phillips [Madonna's long-time stylist]. She knows what works on Her Madgesty. It all started during the promotion of Music, when Madonna wore my blouses. I was a boy and Arianne and Madonna have trusted me ever since. At the MTV Europe Music Awards in Stockholm [in 2000], Madonna wore an amazing Dolce & Gabbana red cowboy suit and I designed bling-bling, Swarovski accessories for her. I can't forget all the work I did by hand, putting hundreds of crystals and beads on while flying from Rome to New York. The hostesses were looking at me like I was ET."

Madonna Blows Fans Away after Keeping them Waiting

More than 22,000 Madonna fans braved the heat last night to see their idol's first performance in the Arab world.

US pop icon Madonna (2L) performs on stage during her first ever concert in the Gulf as part of her MDNA world tour at Abu Dhabi's Yas Island Stadium on June 3, 2012. An estimated 25,000 fans cheered and screamed as the Material Girl finally appeared on stage more than two hours late, wearing a skin-tight black outfit from her "Girl Gone Wild" album. (AFP)

The entertainer, who is known for her daring and extravagant performances, was as controversial as ever as she took to the stage at du Arena on Yas Island.

The 53-year-old singer kicked off the show, the first of two concerts in the capital, to the sound of a chiming church bell and dancers clad in red monks' cloaks. The five-minute intro was dripping with religious iconography as a massive gold-coloured thurible, teeming with smoke, swung over the heads of the audience. Madonna appeared on stage wearing a black veil, gold crown and a skin-tight black catsuit, after pretending to smash a window with a large rifle.

Image: AFP

The singer, who was bursting with energy and looking fit as ever, started her set with the upbeat Girl Gone Wild, from her new album, accompanied by male dancers who had thrown off their cloaks and were dancing shirtless.

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Madonna's designer-laden MDNA tour wardrobe

Madonna has called on a host of famous designers to create her MDNA tour wardrobe, and has even got Prada to make high heels for her male dancers.

Madonna in her Jean Paul Gaultier conical-bra creation Photo: WireImage

Madonna has managed to secure herself a wardrobe brimming with one-off designer creations for her MDNA tour, which kicked off last night. Along with designs by the likes of Alexander Wang and Jeremy Scott, the Queen of Pop has revisited her iconic Jean Paul Gaultier conical bra look with a wire-like bustier created especially by the designer and worn over some masculine tailoring.

Madonna on stage last night wearing a majorette costume designed by Arianne Phillips. Photo: Getty

"We played with the ideas of a suit and a corset. But the corset is now like a cage," Gaultier told WWD. "What I have done this time is a nod to the conical bra corset of the Blond Ambition tour but reinterpreted in 3-D, in patent leather on the outside with metallic leather on the inside. It's all about masculine and feminine, Madonna and Jean Paul Gaultier classics reinterpreted for 2012."

Meanwhile, Prada have created high-heeled shoes for Madge's male back-up dancers, following along nicely from her recent introduction of 'mantyhose' in her Girls Gone Wild video.

Madonna on stage in Tel Aviv last night wearing a majorette costume designed by Arianne Phillips. Photo: Getty 

Unfortunately, the gladiator-style Givenchy getup created by Riccardo Tisci for Madonna's epic Superbowl performance will not be making an appearance, nor will any other creations by the designer, owing to schedule conflicts. - Telegraph