With her flame-red, blunt-cut hair, extreme make-up and matching attitude, Toyah Willcox was doing the edgy vocalist thing before Jessie J and Florence were even born. After emerging from the UK punk scene, she cut her teeth starring in cult classics like Jubilee and Quadrophenia (check out its original take on this season’s Mod trend!).
In the 80s, she found her niche in the pop charts, where her feisty personality, unique dress sense and backcombed hair established her as Britain’s edgier female popstar, without terrifying the hell out of everyone. "I LOVED Toyah’s look and used to raid my Mum’s make-up bag to try to copy her," says Company’s Editor Victoria White.
Long before Lady Gaga got out the meat cleaver, Toyah was daring to be different in stage outfits ranging from androgynous metallic suits to PVC dominatrix dresses (so on-trend for A/W – see p106!). She also ripped up the beauty rule book, and was unafraid to team bold lips, eyes and cheeks. Her signature look was colour-pop eyeshadows in red and blue, teamed with scarlet lips and a flash of fuschia blush – all topped with a shock of crimped orange hair!
Company’s Beauty Editor Sophie Qureshi says: "Toyah pushed the boundaries of fashion and beauty and created her own distinctive look. The 80s were exciting style-wise because women stopped feeling they had to fit into some mould of what guys found attractive and just wore what the hell they wanted!" Company bows to a true style pioneer!
