When I worked at CNN in the mid-1990s, a colleague liked to serenade me with “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins. That’s the one with the lyrics that go, “Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage.” I guess that tells you all you have to know about working for Lou Dobbs.
This came to mind while I was browsing through the vintage fashion on 1stdibs and found one example of cage-themed pieces after another.
Jean Paul Gaultier was famous for his cage looks. The seller says this Gaultier cage dress is from his Spring 1989 collection.
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This cage-sleeved Gaultier jacket is also from around the same time.
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The Junior Gaultier line had its own cages.
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Gaultier isn’t the only designer to do the cage look, though he’s probably the only one who made it a signature style. This vintage ’90s Moschino dress has cage sleeves.
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There’s a Sophie Sitbon dress that’s quite similar. I don’t know which came first but you know how it is: fashion repeats itself.
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The listing for these Dolce & Gabbana shoes refers to them as a piece of art, and I’m inclined to agree!
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The bird in this cage brooch by Karl Lagerfeld doesn’t sing but it does swing.
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I’m glad I decided to check the furniture section of 1stdibs for cages, because I discovered this wonderful windmill-style hamster cage from the 19th century.
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Here’s another hamster cage from France. I LOVE this! When the hamster runs on the wheel, the roof of the little house turns and a music box plays!
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And look at this mansion-inspired bird cage, also from 19th-century France.
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This is why it’s good to study history. A lot of people think people just began spoiling our pets in recent years. Maybe not! It appears that at least two hamsters led a life of luxury in the 1800s. Maybe they still felt like rageful rats in cages … or maybe they were proud property owners. I wish I knew!
Of course the French would have only the best homes for their rodents.
A friend of mine knows Jean Paul Gaultier and says he is an absolute sweetheart.
I’m always happy to hear that high-achieving people are nice too! xoxo
JPG has always seemed nice. Everything I’ve seen with him or written about him gave the impression that he’s a sweet, kind, and extremely optimistic person. It’s so nice to hear that it’s true since he’s one of my favorite designers!
OMG, now I just want to hug him.
Those shoes are fabulous! Do we all still hate Dolce & Gabbana? ;-D
You… spoil your pets? Nah. It’s not like PK lives in a castle or anything!
I can’t wait to buy beautiful furniture for his castle.