There’s no doubt that Bowie fever is everywhere…
…with the exhibition at the V&A, David Bowie is, which is by all accounts fabulous.
According to the website, the V&A was ‘given unprecedented access to the David Bowie Archive to curate the first international retrospective of the extraordinary career of David Bowie. David Bowie is features more than 300 objects that include handwritten lyrics, original costumes, fashion, photography, film, music videos, set designs and Bowie’s own instruments.’
David Bowie is a phenomenon in both the fashion and music worlds, who has inspired people all over the world. His ability to shock the general public contributed hugely to his success and his willingness to cross social and cultural boundaries when it came to his clothes opened the way for a generation of self-proclaimed misfits to experiment with new ways of expressing themselves. Perhaps the most Bowie-influenced of the current crop of pop stars is Lady Gaga, along with Madonna and many other celebrities who perhaps looked to Bowie’s chameleon-like engagement with different musical styles and art forms for inspiration.
David Bowie Style by Danny Lewis is a book dedicated to documenting the many changes in the innovative, ever-changing style of David Bowie, from androgynous leotards and space-age jumpsuits to short-cut blazers and distressed frock coats. It documents five decades of Bowie’s unique sense of style, discusses the cultural and artistic influences that have shaped him, and how he has influenced others in turn. Some of the influences it looks at in detail include the mods, Andy Warhol, Kabuki theatre, German Expressionism, punk, the New Romantics and Hedi Slimane.
You can read Tilda Swinton’s speech at the opening of the V&A exhibition here. Bowie is one of Swinton’s style icons and she was surrounded by many others who have huge respect for the artist. As she put it:
‘All the nicest possible freaks are here. We’re in the Victoria and Albert Museum preparing to rifle through your drawers. It’s truly an amazing thing.’
We’ve included some of the spreads from David Bowie Style below. This is a book for die-hard Bowie fans as well as fashion lovers. Enjoy!
David Bowie Style is available from the Bloomsbury website.