By Hershey Pascual
Bowie was born David Robert Jones in Brixton, south London, on 8 January in 1947. The son of a waitress and a nightclub owner. He was well known for creating his flamboyant alter ego Ziggy Stardust. He was also Aladdin Sane and the Thin White Duke, all were fictitious and iconic characters.
His creative style and music influenced fashion and art for over six decades. His legend will continue to live on and his morphing persona was a touchstone for performers like Madonna and Lady Gaga, among many others.
He was in several bands before he signed with Mercury Records, which released his album Space Oddity in 1969, with the title track becoming his first UK number one; but his breakthrough came with 1972’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars.
Bowie’s hits include Let’s Dance, Space Oddity, Starman, Modern Love, Heroes, Under Pressure, Rebel, Rebel and Life on Mars; and his last live performance was at a New York charity concert in 2006. But after a decade without a studio album he released The Next Day in 2013, which surprised fans who thought he had retired. It became his first UK number one for 20 years. He co-wrote Lazarus, a musical featuring his songs and inspired by his role in The Man Who Fell to Earth, which opened in New York last last year.
The singer only released his latest album Blackstar on his birthday on Friday January 8th 2016 when the star turned 69 years old. The album, which includes just seven songs, has been well received by critics. Bowie’s long-time friend and producer Tony Visconti wrote on Facebook: “His death was no different from his life – a work of art. He made Blackstar for us, his parting gift.”
Madonna said she was “devastated” and that Bowie had “changed her life.” She wrote on Twitter: “Talented. Unique. Genius. Game Changer. The man who fell to earth. Your spirit lives on forever!” Friend and collaborator Iggy Pop wrote on Twitter: “David’s friendship was the light of my life. I never met such a brilliant person. He was the best there is.” And rapper Kanye West said: “David Bowie was one of my most important inspirations, so fearless, so creative, he gave us magic for a lifetime.”
Here are some of our five best iconic fashion moments from the legend David Bowie.
