Creative personas

Bowie’s creative personas have inspired generations to experiment with unique ways to express themselves. His ‘look’ was vital in crafting these personas. Bowie played with markers of gender, sexuality and culture through make-up, clothing and jewellery. He subverted stereotypes and rejected binaries, which spoke to many people who also felt like outsiders. Bowie collaborated with Japanese designer Kansai Yamamoto and Hackney-born designer Freddie Burretti to craft looks for his performances that still shape fashion today.

Written by: Simon Sladen, Senior Curator of Theatre & Performance, V&A South Kensington
Published: September 2025

Museum Number
S.283:1 to 8-2024
Description
Hunky Dory
Artist/Maker
Freddie Burretti
Location and Date
Britain, 1972
Materials/Techniques
Cotton, Plastic, Sequin, Velvet, Satin, Wool, Leather, Lame, Metal, Polyester, Wood, Rubber, Machine sewing, Hand sewing, Embroidering, Nailing
Object information
Museum Number
LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.1011:1 to 4-2024
Description
Ziggy Stardust
Artist/Maker
Kansai Yamamoto
Location and Date
Japan, 1973
Materials/Techniques
Wool, Plastic, Metal, Cotton, Lurex, Machine knitting, Hand knitting, Machine sewing, Stuffing
Object information
Museum Number
LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.2504-2024
Description
Ziggy Stardust
Location and Date
Great Britain, ca.1972
Materials/Techniques
Glass, Metal, Moulding, Casting, Polishing
Object information
Reference Code
DBA/TEMP/144
Title/Description
Photograph of David Bowie and Lindsay Kemp
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
Mar 1968
Materials/Techniques
Black and white photograph of David Bowie performing with Lindsay Kemp in Pierrot in Turquoise at the Mercury Theatre, Notting Hill Gate. Photograph taken by Calvin Mark Lee in England, UK. Includes inscription with contextual information on the back of the photo. Another copy is available in DBA/5/6/5.
Item information
Reference Code
DBA/TEMP/151
Title/Description
Photograph of Lindsay Kemp
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
19 Aug 1972
Materials/Techniques
Black and white portrait photograph of Lindsay Kemp performing on stage at the Rainbow Theatre during The Ziggy Stardust Tour. Photographs taken by Mick Rock in London, UK.
Item information
Reference Code
DBA/TEMP/145
Title/Description
Photograph of David Bowie, Freddie Burretti and Bob Grace
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1970
Materials/Techniques
Black and white photograph of David Bowie with Freddie Burretti and Bob Grace taken by Brian Ward.
Item information
Reference Code
DBA/TEMP/40
Title/Description
Photograph of Freddie Burretti
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1972
Materials/Techniques
Small square photograph of Freddie Burretti, David Bowie’s friend and clothing designer. Photographer unknown.
Item information
Reference Code
DBA/TEMP/62
Title/Description
Negative of David Bowie on stage as Ziggy Stardust
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1972
Materials/Techniques
Photograph taken by Mick Rock. Black and white negative of David Bowie playing Mick Ronson's guitar with his mouth at Oxford Town Hall in June 1972.
Item information
Reference Code
DBA/TEMP/130
Title/Description
1980 Floor Show Costume Design
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1972 - 1973
Materials/Techniques
Costume design sketch for an outfit for David Bowie to wear during the 1980 Floor Show, drawn by David Bowie. The A3 sketch features a figure wearing a jumpsuit with one sleeve and is drawn in pencil.
Item information
Reference Code
DBA/TEMP/111
Title/Description
Contact Sheet, Aladdin Sane album cover
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1973
Materials/Techniques
Photographs taken by Brian Duffy in Duffy Studio in London, England. Contact sheet made up of sixteen photographs of David Bowie for the Aladdin Sane album cover shoot. The images each feature a head and shoulders portrait of David Bowie wearing lightning bolt make-up by Pierre LaRoche. All the photographs in the contact sheet are presented in black and white apart from number 19 which is presented in colour; this was the chosen photograph for the album cover.
Item information
Reference Code
DBA/TEMP/59
Title/Description
Photograph of David Bowie on stage as Ziggy Stardust
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1973
Materials/Techniques
Taken by Mick Rock. Black and white photograph of David Bowie on stage holding a microphone with fans reaching towards him and holding his leg. One of two copies, the second is in the original folder.
Item information
Reference Code
DBA/TEMP/60
Title/Description
Photograph of David Bowie on stage as Ziggy Stardust
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1973
Materials/Techniques
Taken by Mick Rock. Black and white photograph of David Bowie leaning over a barrier face to face with a fan.
Item information
Reference Code
DBA/TEMP/61
Title/Description
Photograph of David Bowie on stage as Ziggy Stardust
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1973
Materials/Techniques
Taken by Mick Rock. Black and white photograph of a fan running on stage to kiss David Bowie.
Item information
Reference Code
DBA/TEMP/64
Title/Description
Photograph of David Bowie on stage as Ziggy Stardust
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1973
Materials/Techniques
Taken by Mick Rock. Black and white photograph of David Bowie with his back to the camera facing fans who are reaching up to him.
Item information
Reference Code
DBA/TEMP/63
Title/Description
Audience photograph, Ziggy Stardust performance
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1973
Materials/Techniques
Photograph taken by Mick Rock. Black and white photograph of an audience at a Ziggy Stardust performance.
Item information
Reference Code
DBA/TEMP/58
Title/Description
Contact sheet of David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1973
Materials/Techniques
Series of photos taken by Mick Rock of David Bowie with various people, including Mick Jagger, around a table and in a dressing room, at an after-party for a performance of The Ziggy Stardust Tour (UK), Hammersmith.
Item information