As the tragic death of David Bowie recently rocked the world last week after his 18-month long battle with cancer, fans all over the world began to reminisce on all that the artist has done for today’s society. Bowie challenged the status quo in every possible way during his shortened lifetime, especially the way he presented himself to the public and onstage as a performer. His infatuation with changing personas and gender fluidity during his performances allowed him to experiment with fashion in a way that no other artist had done before and that many today, such as Lady Gaga and Madonna, have tried to mirror.
David Bowie began breaking down fashion barriers in the 1970s by posing for a Rolling Stone cover in a dress and later wearing that same dress to other interviews. He often shocked those around him with his unabashed way of dressing himself. He was “unafraid to play fast and loose with gender”, as Rolling Stone stated in a recent article, and this was also demonstrated during Bowie’s 1979 Saturday Night Live performance, where he had worn a skirt during his set. Bowie’s ability to influence the fashion world early on became a major key in his style icon status and success as his career continued.
His multiple personas used during performances, such as the well known alien-like Ziggy Stardust, the Thin White Duke and Major Tom inspired fashion designers and people all over the world to experiment with clothing and express themselves in ways that had not been done before. His iconic lightning bolt image can be seen throughout the fashion industry and it all originated with Bowie as Ziggy Stardust, the most iconic alter ego that he had performed as in his career. Ziggy Stardust’s style challenged gender norms in the fashion world and was composed of magnificent costumes, pantsuits and exuberant pieces.
Jean Paul Gaultier, a French haute couture designer, told vogue.com that Bowie had, “Inspired me by his creativity, his extravagance, his sense of fashion[s] that he was constantly reinventing, by his allure, his elegance, and his play on gender.” Gaultier paid tribute to Bowie in his Spring 2013 fashion show, where his pieces were modeled after his most iconic looks and the models also wore Ziggy Stardust wigs, as seen in the photo below.
Pieces of the Starman can be seen all over the fashion world, with designers either copying his many looks or paying tribute to him in their lines. One designer in particular, Walter Van Beirendonck, had his entire Summer 2016 collection inspired by Bowie’s hit song “Moonage Daydream” and the artist’s extravagant clothes and costumes. The designer stated that he was, “fascinated by Bowie as a human being, his music and his ever-changing looks… Bowie was the reason that I got interested in fashion.”
Although David Bowie’s death has signaled an end of an era for the fashion world, he will always be remembered and revered throughout the industry as the king and connoisseur of style.
