Leave it to Fischerspooner to push the proverbial envelope even farther with the release of their upcoming record, Entertainment (FS Studios). Highly regarded for intricate and provocative stage shows, Fischerspooner weave elements of Vaudeville, Kabuki & 60s-era U.S. Space Program into their new album to make a statement that is wholly their own, as evidenced in the first look at the cover art for the album above.

To bring the idea to fruition, Casey Spooner enlisted Dazed & Confused creative director Nicola Formichetti to assemble the styling cast and create the look. Formichetti brought on Romain Kremer for wardrobe (also designing for the Britney Spears tour), upcoming London designer Nasir Mazhar for millinery & Dusan Reljin to photograph. Reljin worked with Fischerspooner on photo for Odyssey, Best Revenge & Danse en France releases & shot all the early Vanessa Beecroft images.

Casey Spooner on the birth of the concept:

This hat is based on a Kabuki dance called Wisteria Maiden. Kate Valk from The Wooster Group brought a video of the dance into rehearsal for inspiration. In the traditional dance they use a hat that becomes lots of things. It is a prop that transforms into an umbrella, a shield and a palette. I made a prototype that was my straw boater with a hat box lid stuck on top and held on with a bungee cord. Nasir took that prototype and transformed it into what you see now. I do a dance at the beginning of the show about outer space. Now the hat signifies even more things: the moon, isolation, ambition, show biz and space travel. I like that it combines several strange and conflicting references that all add up. It is real neon that Lite Brite Neon installed with a battery pack so I can wear it on stage. And it matches our new logo.

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