David Bowie’s Greatest Fashion Hits
David Bowie at 18.
The young Bowie, who had started his first band at age 15, dreamed “of being Mick Jagger.” Photo: Getty Images
David Bowie Starts to Go Glam.
The singer-songwriter, pictured here at an awards show in London in 1972, starts to enter his androgynous, glam rock stage. Photo: Getty Images
David Bowie is Electric.
Bowie performs as his most famous alter ego Ziggy Stardust in 1973. He describes his groundbreaking look as a cross between “Nijinksy and Woolworths." Photo: Getty Images
David Bowie Breaks the Fashion Rules
Bowie performing ‘Rebel, Rebel” on a British television show in 1974. His look, a mix of pirate and New Romantic, would influence younger musicians like Adam Ant and Spandau Ballet in the next few years. Photo: Getty Images
David Bowie Cleans Up (Sort of)
During his “Diamond Dogs” era, Bowie’s outward appearance was very well-groomed (a Hollywood 40’s silhouette complete with tie and suspenders) despite the fact that he was struggling with cocaine and alcohol addictions. Photo: Getty Images
David Bowie as the Thin White Duke
The musician described his “Thin White Duke” personae for the “Station to Station” album as a mad aristocrat. The look was casual bohemian meets cabaret. Photo: Getty Images
Captain David Bowie
The musician performs at the Earls Court Arena in London. His sailor look will help usher in the 80’s trend of oversized silhouettes. Photo: Getty Images
David Bowie is a Space Alien
In Nicolas Roeg’s cult film “The Man Who Fell to Earth” Bowie plays an alien who visits the planet in search of water. Always ahead of time, Bowie plays with gender-bending fashion with the mom hair and Caitlyn Jenner-style sunglasses. Photo: Everrett Collection
David Bowie’s Muppet Moment
In the 1986 film “Labrynth,” directed by Jim Henson, Bowie plays the goblin king. The movie was a box office flop but gained a cult following among Bowie fans. Photo: Kobal Collection
David Bowie’s Puppet Moment
For his 1980 “Saturday Night Live” appearance, Bowie wore a life size marionette costume and was helped out on vocals by performance artist Klaus Nomi and a then an unknown drag queen Joey Arias. Photo: Getty Images
David Bowie Clowns Around
The “Ashes to Ashes” video features Bowie dressed up as Peirrot the clown, surrounded by regulars from London’s Blitz Club including Steve Strange.
David Bowie Goes for Blood
Long before stylish vampire films like the “Twilight” series and 'Only Lovers Left Alive,“ there was Tony Scott’s "The Hunger” starring Bowie and Catherine Deneuve. Bowie played a well-dressed cellist and vampire. Roger Ebert said it was “amazingly bad,” but the film’s sleek, gothic look earned plenty of style accolades.
David Bowie and Iggy Pop
The two musicians, pictured here in Berlin in the late seventies when Bowie was working on “Low,” collaborated often— Bowie produced several of Pop’s albums. Todd Haynes apparently was inspired by the two rock legends for his glam rock film “Velvet Goldmine.” Photo: Getty Images
In the early hours of Monday, January 11, the world lost a rock legend: David Bowie. He passed away following a battle with cancer at 69 and, according to his family, he was surrounded by loved ones and went peacefully.
His loss in the music world will certainly be felt deeply, with the decades of hits the legendary singer recorded. But Bowie was a true artist in the fact that he wasn’t just his voice. He was a performer and expressed himself through dancing, acting, and fashion as well.
A true sartorial icon — an undeniable fact considering there was a retrospective entitled “David Bowie Is” at the V&A Museum in London in 2013 featuring original costumes, music videos, set designs, and more — his chameleonic style was all his own. Bowie’s signature markers shifted throughout his decades-long career, varying from ‘80s-era suits and space-age getups to classic leather jackets and eye patches.
Here, we look back on some of his fashion hits to ever rock the fashion world.
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