A Knight in Shining Latex: Prince Poppycock Ends His Spectacular Run on "America's Got Talent" in Rubber From Syren Couture and Armor From Michael Schmidt Studios

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Rococo rockstar Prince Poppycock's stageset and wardrobe for his knight in shining armor number on the "America's Got Talent" season finale were worthy of rocker royalty. For his bid to be crowned absolute monarch of the #1 NBC show, the Prince chose the most popular operatic aria performed on reality talent shows: 'Nessun dorma,' from Puccini's Turandot. But the classically trained singer made the song his own in another of the original, over-the-top spectaculars that earned him the title "The male Lady Gaga" from "America's Got Talent" judge Sharon Osbourne. And Poppycock, who only found out last Wednesday he'd been voted into AGT's final four contestants, realized his grand vision in less than a week, with help from a creative team with world-class credentials.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100916/LA66662)

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100916/LA66662)

With just five days to produce the massive stageshow, which he collaborated on with production designer Steve LaNasa, Prince Poppycock called on top designers and artists on both coasts – including Los Angeles costumers Syren Latex Couture and Michael Schmidt Studios; NYC creative designer Kevin Santos; and LA fashion photographer Shawn Smith – to create the costume and stage set for his sweeping, romantic portrayal of a knight rescuing a bound princess from a dragon.

Poppycock's fantastical yet elegant Red Knight costume paired rubber leggings from Syren Latex with armor by Michael Schmidt. Best known for Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman suit for Batman Returns, the latex atelier's sleek, form-fitting dresses are a current red-carpet fave of shapely singer Katy Perry, who has made candy-hued Syren halter dresses, appliquéd with cupcakes and other sweet treats, her trademark.

Poppycock wore a custom pair of Syren's latex leggings in red – similar to these from the brand's made-to-order line for women – under his silver and red suit of battle-scarred, bedazzled armor by rock-and-roll couturier Michael Schmidt. Known as the "showgirl Svengali," Schmidt – who has dressed many divas, including Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Cher – is famed for his draped, ornate chainmail and rhinestone mesh designs. He created the Prince's jewel-encrusted breastplate, as well as the tattered, flowing tunic of thousands of ruby-red Swarovski crystals that went underneath. Production designer Steve LaNasa – who also portrayed Poppycock's squire onstage – made the towering, feather-crowned, Romanesque helmet the Prince wore for his entrance.

The number's sumptuous background visuals were designed by artist Kevin Santos. A former senior vice president of creative services at Giorgio Armani, Santos  - who has also collaborated on the design of the Costume Institute gala and exhibition at NYC's Metropolitan Museum – came across Poppycock one night channel surfing and became, he says, "enchanted by his voice and aura." His glowing, illuminated, medieval-style stills of knights on horseback and filigreed golden gates were choreographed and set to Poppycock's backing track by LA fashion photographer Shawn Smith.

But despite the lush production, Prince Poppycock's performance stirred controversy among "America's Got Talent" fans because judge Piers Morgan hit his buzzer near the act's end – a shock considering that Poppycock, who ultimately lost to fellow singer Michael Grimm, was favored to win by most reader polls. Though Morgan later said he thought the number too serious for the flamboyant Poppycock, the former tabloid editor seemed more interested in making a splash than in being a critic: hitting the buzzer at the emotional climax of the song seemed a calculated attempt to steal the thunder of the moment to frame Morgan's own actions, while maximizing the upset to Poppycock, who had just drawn breath for the aria's final challenging high notes.

Poppycock continued on to the high note without a hitch, exiting in a chariot drawn by dancers in white horse head masks. The next night, after being eliminated in AGT's final rounds, he took the mike one last time to give Morgan the royal treatment. "I just want to say thank you to Piers. You see, I was promised a horse but I only got two guys in horse heads," the Prince said, referring to the dancer-drawn chariot that replaced what was originally slated to be a real white steed. "Piers intuitively understood I needed a horse's behind."

Poppycock denied Morgan's claim that his majestic setpiece was out of character, and after his performance, the openly gay opera singer quipped to AGT host Nick Cannon, "I was giving America a fairytale ending – with the emphasis on the 'fairy.'" Syren Latex designer Abigail Greydanus agreed that there was a truly magical fairytale quality to the Prince's number. "His show made me think of the scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, where Wonka says, 'We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams,'" says Greydanus. "I think that this Poppycock performance – and each before it – really embodied that spirit."

ABOUT SYREN LATEX:

Syren has a long history of film credits including costumes for Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Sacha Baron Cohen's Bruno, but the latex atelier is best known for the sleek superheroine suits fashioned for Malin Akerman's Silk Spectre II in Watchmen and for Michelle Pfeiffer in her role as Catwoman in Batman Returns. Pfeiffer's iconic catsuit was recently on display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute's "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy" exhibit. When asked on "The Today Show" which of the costumes exhibited was her favorite, legendary Vogue editor Anna Wintour said: "Catwoman every time, absolutely!" 

SOURCE Syren Latex