Marilyn Manson says he doesn’t take the fashion industry seriously – even though he’s appeared as a model himself.
The shock-rock icon – reportedly set to appear in a film with Godsmack’s Sully Erna – has modelled for the Saint Laurent brand, and he’s had stage attire created by designer Jean Paul Gaultier.
But Manson tells Dazed: “The fashion world is very absurd. When you go to shows, you watch people walk down the runway and you’re waiting for someone to fall over. It’s the only reason I’ve ever gone to a fashion show – to see if a girl will fall over. It might sound cruel, but it is what it is.
“That’s what everyone does. They’re waiting for someone bad to happen. Everyone wants to see a tragedy.”
He continues: “The fashion eras I really identify with are the 20s and 30s. It was the era before people thought it was okay to wear t-shirts or sweatpants, looking like you didn’t give a shit.
“If a girl starts wearing sweatpants in a relationship, it’s over. Girls should always present themselves to you when you come home – ‘Hi, honey, I’m home,’ and she’s wearing lingerie, legs akimbo. ‘Come and get it, honey.’”
Manson explains: “My father’s view of women was, ‘If you want to get a man, spread your legs, and if you want to keep a man, shut your fucking mouth.’ It’s foul. But that’s how I was born and raised. I’m not saying that’s my philosophy, I’m just saying that’s what my father taught me.”
But he insists he’s “not a sexist,” although he accepts: “I tend to incite misogynist characteristics. I love women – I just don’t love what they do to me sometimes.”
And he’s not a fan of the world “love,” arguing: “If you say, ‘I’m dedicated to you, I want to be with you, you’re my partner,’ that’s a much more powerful way to express it.”
Manson released his ninth studio album The Pale Emperor last month. He’ll play the Download Festival at Donington Park on June 13.
