Style Icon: David Bowie

In 1972, David Bowie released the concept album “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”. The songs were loosely built up around a story about a benevolent alien (Ziggy), who came to the Earth with a message of peace.

Whilst trying to convey his message, Ziggy Stardust took on the human form of a rock star. He did everything in his power to live up to this role – and as the expression goes, with rock n’ roll comes also sex and drugs. He acted the part, but also: He looked the part.

David Bowie has been quoted for saying that the name “Ziggy” came from a tailor’s shop, which he passed on a train one day. Evidently there was a London tailor sometime in the early seventies called Ziggy. Bowie thought to himself: “Well, this whole thing is gonna be about clothes”, and so he found the name appropriate.

Undoubtedly clothes played a big part in the forming of Ziggy Stardust. The costumes that Japanese avant-garde fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto created for the character were out of this world. However, it’s difficult to say wheather it was David Bowie’s strange, androgonous (but undisputably beautiful) appearance that inspired Yamamoto, or the other way around.

The fact is that now, even 40 years later, Ziggy Stardust and David Bowie remains a huge inspiration for fashion designers. Bowie was right: This whole thing is very much about clothes – though I really do recommend listening to the music as well.
I see references to Ziggy everywhere on the catwalk. Here’s a little tribute.

Ziggy wearing - yes! - leopard trousers.

Knitted jumpsuits? Outrageous, to be sure.

Others than I seem to be taking an interest in Ziggy. In the December 2011 issue, Kate Moss graced the cover of Vogue Paris made out to look like Ziggy Stardust.

Kate Moss as Ziggy

Kate Moss in Ziggy's 1973 three piece by Freddie Buretti. It looks completely fresh, even today.

Christopher Kane doing neon colours and wallpaper patterns Ziggy style – at www.net-a-porter.com.

Faded wallpaper dress

Here it’s TopShop going Ziggy, with patterned leggings and clashing bomber jacket.

Glam Rock jacket

Parisian label Faith Connexion seems very glam rock inspired as a brand. I love the metallic jacket above, and then their Ziggy tribute tees below would be most welcome additions to my wardrobe as well.