"I grew up with him. He's kind of been an undercoat to my creative life forever," he told reporters in the city where Bowie grew up. A brilliant and visionary musician, David Bowie experimented with a kaleidoscope of images and styles as a counterpoint to his musical adventures. One of his best-known hits is named "Fashion". Dubbed the "King of Style" by some fashionistas, he had recently worked with British designer Paul Smith on the artwork for his latest album, "Blackstar".
"A lot of people are considered celebrities today when they have only experienced popularity for one or two years, but he was exposed to the public for about 46 years, and so his talent was very very clear, very impressive," Smith said. For Men's Fashion Week the designer recreated his first shop replete with items that influenced him-including many nods to the singer, such as a book of Bowie photos. Tributes from sartorial tastemakers flowed from beyond London. For French designer Jean Paul Gaultier, whose avant-garde work includes designs influenced by Bowie, the musician was an "absolute rock star" and a "cult" in his own right.
"Personally, he inspired me with his creativity, his extravagance, his sense of reinvention, his allure, his elegance and playfulness with genre," he added. The flashy makeup and striking red mullet of "Ziggy Stardust"-era Bowie inspired Gaultier's 2011 ready-to-wear spring-summer collection. Fellow French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac saluted Bowie on France's RTL radio station, declaring Bowie "a cosmic pioneer in all fields."-AFP