CREATING DAVID BOWIE
How David Bowie used costumes to portray characters in performance using techniques of physical change and manipulation of costume construction
I’ve been exploring a man who has directly influenced my life and art. And exploring the importance of costume’s relationship to character and persona - its integral part of storytelling, giving us the emotions, time and place setting, and atmosphere.
Using techniques of physical change such as the art of Kabuki quick change and the manipulation of costume and fashion construction throughout his outfits and styles.
Researching into how you can explicitly see the change in Bowie's different personas through the time 1972 to 1976 - giving you the ability to recognise a character through what he's wearing immediately.
ZIGGY STARDUST
1971 - 1974
The space samurai suit
By far Bowie’s most famous persona that he ever inhabited, Ziggy was born on stage in 1971 and went on to create some of the most iconic imagery and costume.
The importance of his costumes to this persona was fascinating to me, which is why I chose the most influential and recognisable elements to have in my design to represent the Ziggy persona
Kansai Yamamoto was the Japanese fashion designer responsible for Bowie’s androgynous alien look. He created the look of the space samurai suits that the main silhouette was based on as well as the Aladin Sane looks which both incorporated the use of the Kabuki quick change.
The Build
The construction and fit of this costume were a challenge in itself. I was using a practice-based research method to attempt to recreate the base construction techniques to examine how and why the costume was designed and built the way it was. This opened so many doors of ideas and methods of building.
Yamamoto’s original costumes were quilted together with what was most likely wadding between the layers of fabric to give them it’s volume and texture. The method I chose to use was a more modern technique of heat pressing bra foam or neoprene to another fabric to create bulk.
The Quick Change
Bowie’s orignal kabuki quick change suit used press studs for the closures but I explored the use of modern costume magnets to connect the two sides of the costume
TAILORING
The Change in Bowie's style from glam rock to sleek double-breasted jacket and high-waisted pants was driven and accommodated by one of his most trusted fashion designers Freddie Burretti. Freddie had the opportunity to design a few of Bowie’s past suits including the iconic Ice blue suit from the Life on Mars music video in 1971 as well as a few other costumes throughout their friendship. After examining and analsing a multitude of images of these suits, I found some of the most significant characteristics were the lapels and collars that were rounded all the way and often connected fully and the use of a princess line seam running through the front of the jacket for shape and small pin stitching.
When looking into Freddie's suits I was most drawn to two in particular. Those being the Ice blue suit from 1972 and the mustard suit from 1974. Even though the blue suit isn’t from the diamond dogs tour it is Freddie’s most famous suit and has a lot of the same characteristics. From the ice blue suit, I wanted to incorporate the diagonal chest line to create this unique three-paneled double-breasted chest piece.
