Turning tips into memories

Get started Login
  • Home
  • Going Out
    • Things to do
    • Food & Drink
    • Theatre
    • Visual Arts
    • Cinema
    • Kids
    • Festival
    • Gigs
    • Dance
    • Classical Music
    • Opera
    • Immersive
    • Talks
  • Staying In
    • TV
    • Books
    • Cook
    • Podcast
    • Design
    • Netflix
  • Life & Style
    • Beauty
    • Fashion
    • Gifting
    • Wellbeing
    • Lifestyle
    • Shopping
    • Jewellery
  • Explore
  • About us
  • Tickets
  • Membership
  • Get Started
  • Membership
  • Tickets
Get our exclusive content
+ choose a pair of free tickets from our edit of favourite events
Fashion

Edna Mode: Fashion icon of our time

By Poppy Cory-Wright on 2/7/2018

Sit down, Anna Wintour. Keep walking, Kanye.

Edna Mode Fashion Icon
Edna Mode Fashion Icon
'I never look back, darling. it distracts from the now.' - E.M.

Tiny, fierce and with the kind of quotability to inspire memes a thousand times over, there's no fashion figure – be them fictional or genuine – quite like Edna Mode.

We include, in that sweep, the most esteemed of personalities. Take Miranda Priestley of The Devil Wears Prada. Like Edna, she's exacting, bespectacled and charged with dry wit.

But unlike our scene-stealing scientist-cum-fashion-designer, the ornamented magazine editor-at-large gives the industry a bad rep with mythological levels of nastiness and little in the way of redemption. Meanwhile, Edna Mode is paired down in accessories and amped up, instead, in intelligence (even though just like Priestley, her imperious nature could demobilize the toughest of superheroes).

While today, fashion-lovers worship Alessandro Michele's opulent Gucci and revere Virgil Abloh's in-your-face atheisurewear, Edna merges art, science and technology while forgoing any desire to 'shock'.


From left to right: Edith Head, Mary Quant, Rei Kawakubo, Anna Wintour

As any true fan would, we've searched for the inspiration behind her conception, and found there to be no single answer.

Her German-Japanese accent conjures ideas of Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo, while the cropped bob is distinctly Wintourian. The one-liners are similar to Academy Award winning costume designer Edith Head, and the mod-ish monochrome reminds us of Mary Quant.

But, director Brad Bird left us in the dark when he tweeted, 'People from MANY countries (27 & counting) were convinced I based E on a local icon.' Alas, are we surprised?

With her state-of-the-art Californian home, her scallopped leather shawl and her exacting nature, we've concluded that Edna Mode will be the uncontested 'dahling' of fashion history for years to come. And if you don't believe us, see sartorial royalty from Heidi Klum to Andre Leon Talley purr over the three foot visionary below.


The Incredibles 2 will be released in the UK on the Friday 13 July 2018.
Share:
You may also like:
  • Matches Homeware is launching in July

    Matches Homeware is launching in July

  • Secret Cinema, Romeo and Juliet, London 2018. Image by Camilla Greenwell

    Secret Cinema, Romeo and Juliet review ★★★★★

  • In the Fade film review

    In the Fade ★★★★★

Your update on what’s on in London from theatre to visual arts, from fashion to pop-ups and more…
minimum six characters
 
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Your update on what’s on in London from theatre to visual arts, from fashion to pop-ups and more…
You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter. Stay tuned! (And check your email).
  • The Culture Whisper team
  • What is Culture Whisper membership
  • Corporate membership
  • Give a gift membership
  • Retrieve a gift membership
  • Contact us
  • Press
  • FAQ
  • Privacy
  • Terms and conditions
  • Cookies
  • Discover
  • Venues
  • Restaurants
  • Stations
  • Boroughs
✕ ✕
Turning tips into memories
Login
Signup

You have reached the limit of free articles.


To enjoy unlimited access to Culture Whisper plus a pair of free tickets to a London event sign up for FREE.
Find out more about Culture Whisper


Sign up by Email or Facebook.

Please fix the following input errors:

  • dummy

Each week, we sent newsletters and communication featuring articles, our latest tickets invitations, and exclusive offers.

Occasional information about discounts, special offers and promotions.


OR
LOG IN

OR
  • LOG IN WITH FACEBOOK

Thanks for signing up to Culture Whisper.
Please check your inbox for a confirmation email and click the link to verify your account.



EXPLORE CULTURE WHISPER
✕ ✕
Turning tips into memories
Login
Signup

Please fix the following input errors:

  • dummy
Forgot your username or password?
Don't have an account? Sign Up

OR
  • LOG IN WITH FACEBOOK

If you click «Log in with Facebook» and are not a Culture Whisper user, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and to our Privacy Policy, which includes our Cookie Use

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY
TO CONTINUE TO ENJOY CULTURE WHISPER

You’ve clicked to view the best of our content that we
save exclusively for our members.

If you liked what you saw, subscribe from just £15 and get
unlimited access to our unique culture service as well as
all of our membership benefits.

BECOME A MEMBER ×

Want a pair of free tickets every month?
Upgrade to Gold Whisper now
and save 10% with GOLD10.
Become a premium member today.

UPGRADE NOW ×