Icon of Class: Madonna in "Like a Prayer"

Controversy is part and parcel of Madonna’s life. If you read her autobiography or biography, her love of controversy began way back in her school days when she performed a modern dance in nothing but paint all over her body.

Though there was not much press being churned when she released her self-titled debut in 1983, it was a year later when she shocked the world and American households with her stage performance of “Like a Virgin”.

Dressed in a wedding dress with “Boy Toy” buckled belt around her waist, she descended down the giant wedding cake and started to conquer the stage in, you know, Madonna’s signature way – the writhe, the seduction and never forget, the masturbation!

Five years after Madonna busted the charts everywhere with “Like a Virgin” – both single and album – she courted with controversy again.

Yet, this time it was not a child’s play. Her lead single cum album title track, “Like a Prayer” was released and it came with a video that sparked Vatican’s outrage, leading its ban from mainstream television across the globe. 

In the video, Madonna was dancing in a field of blazing crosses in a seductive slip dress. She went into the church where suddenly, the statue of a black saint came to live and Madonna kissed him. And the rest, as they say, was history.

Yesterday, 30 years after it was released, Madonna posted a snippet of the controversial video – yes, the one that got her multi-million dollar Pepsi sponsorship pulled off – on her Instagram account. According to her, she tried to post it earlier but it was blocked.

And as usual, it was met with tremendously positive response by her ardent fans.  To celebrate the 30^th anniversary of “Like a Prayer”, why don’t you emulate her iconic style but with a fancier twist?

(L-R): Striped tie-front satin top, RM 1,635.00 by Lisa Marie Fernandez; faded wash denim jeans, RM2,145.00 by Loewe; New Billy cotton beret, RM1,270.00 by Maison Michel.

(L-R): Statue print blouse, RM7,310 by Marni; Viper multi-strand necklace, RM2,100.00 by Rosantica by Michela Panero; Bylee cut-out patent leather ankle boot, RM5,460.00 by Chloé

(L-R): Leather trimmed panelled crepe dress, RM6,015.00 by Loewe; Freedom triangle cup lace bra, RM440.00 by La Perla; V-neck silk satin midi slip dress, RM785.00 by Raey.

All products featured here are available now at www.matchesfashion.com and the brand’s respective boutiques as well as select multi-label retailers worldwide.

*Product photos courtesy of Matches Fashion; Madonna images by Herb Ritts from various sources.

Loewe – Lot 2.35.01, Level 2, Pavilion KL, 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.