Human Flower Project
Rome, ITALY
London, ENGLAND
Christchurch, NEW ZEALAND
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Elvis: Rose Tonic and Floral Guitars
Radiance brings out the flowers. And the King of Rock and Roll was never shy about accepting a bloom or two.
Elvis Presley wearing one of many leis in his Aloha from Hawaii TV special, 1973
Back in the crew-cut, button-down early ‘50s, Elvis Presley wore pink suits and slicked his hair back with rose oil tonic. Oh, to have inhaled Beale Street back then!
The King broke so many of the rules of performance—mixing musical styles, straining fashion, flaunting androgeny—and most of his revolutions have been pressed forward by succeeding generations of entertainers. Yet in 2010 we still rarely see a man so comfortable with flowers. For the King’s 75th birthday, we’ve pulled together just a few souvenirs.