Bowie’s Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

An icon was born on this day. David Bowie entered this world as David Robert Jones on January 8, 1947. Not only has the music industry benefited from this talented visionary, but fashion has greatly been influenced by his style and his personas for nearly forty years.

As one of the leaders of the glam rock movement in the early/mid seventies, Bowie’s alter-ego Ziggy Stardust popularized androgyny and paved the way for “guyliner.” Ziggy’s elaborate costumes were created by Japanese designer Kansai Yamamoto.

Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" (how fabulous is this jacket?)

A more soulful and less flamboyant Bowie emerged in 1975 with the release of the album Young Americans on which Luther Vandross sang backup.

a dapper David Bowie with Art Garfunkel, 1975

In 1980, the hit “Ashes to Ashes” reached number one and Bowie was embracing the New Romantic style (a huge influence on me as a young girl interested in fashion!). Bowie seemed to play with many looks in the eighties. I mostly remember him in wide-shouldered, brightly colored suits with a cool “Greaseresque” coiffure.

canary yellow suit, 1983

wearing the original puffy shirt in the film Labyrinth, 1986

1987 - too cool

The nineties marked yet another transition as Bowie explored electronica, alternative rock and even hip-hop. In 1996, David Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Bowie’s Supermodel wife Iman gave birth to their daughter Lexi in August 2000. These days, Bowie looks pretty much like a regular guy strolling around Manhattan.  He was one of the twentieth century's greatest contributors of style, vision and creativity and I don't think he's finished yet.