A portrayal of the word ‘Grace’ is described as elegance or beauty of form and 62 year old effervescent icon Grace Jones could not have been named more appropriately.

Her angular Amazonian facial features, sculpted athletic stature, chiselled physique; combined with her dynamic character have provided the perfect setting for many designers’ work including Tunisian-born couturier and shoe designer Azzedine Alaia who designed her outfit for James Bond film ‘ A View to Kill’.
 

The Illustrious and extraordinarily eccentric super model, actress and gay-iconic pop goddess imparted an unparalleled appeal throughout her extensive career. An immortal enemy of anything monotonous Jones’ vocation started when her strict apostolic family moved from her birthplace of Jamaica in 1965 to Syracuse, New York.

Failing to comply with her austere religious lineage, the statuesque beauty studied theatre at Syracuse University before starting her modelling career in the early 1970’s. During this period the disco chanteuse relocated to Paris developing her infatuation of pop music and performance.  The Parisian influence conceivably inspiring much of her musical career with the French language featuring in many of her lyrics as well as cover versions of ‘Autumn Leaves’ and ‘Moi Non Plus’.

 

Her provocatively sexual performances and occasional trenchant manner astonished audiences and made her a distinguished figure of the era particularly within the gay community–acquainting herself as the artistic muse of avant-garde film maker and artist Andy Warhol and becoming a habitual attendee at the notoriously riotous Studio 54.

 

Jones throughout her profession played on her androgynous features accentuating a masculinised look through intrepid eighties power dressing and a distinctly military-esque ‘flat top’ shaved hair style. In one of her 1982 hits ‘My Jamaican Guy’ Jones’ face flashes up on screen in two different forms; with full makeup and then without, confusing the viewer to whether the unmade version is a male performer or Jones herself- this unification between masculine and feminine was a fundamental expression throughout her career where she questioned the boundaries of traditional gender aesthetics through dress, style and mannerisms.

 

Ms Jones’ most recent performance in Paris this year was comparable to earlier offerings, despite being in her sixth decade the vivacious exhibitionist delivered an animated performance of ‘La Vie en Rose’ at the Viktor & Rolf 5th Birthday celebration for their fragrance Flowerbomb -wearing an extravagant winged body-suit by the two Dutch designers and a Philip Treacy headpiece.

Grace Jones emanates a definitive uniqueness through her bold and confrontational style and inimitable performances; she has not only become a true embodiment of eighties fashion but her incomparable persona has subsequently transpired into perpetual iconic inspiration. "I wasn't born this way," Jones was quoted to have said. "One creates oneself."

Words by Hannah Lindsay Fleming. Photos courtesey of cyantrendland.com

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