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This 2000 exhibition spotlighted classic rock 'n' roll performers and their influence on fashion. More than 40 major rock artists who had influenced style from the 1950s to the present -- including image icons such as David Bowie, Madonna, Mick Jagger, The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Bono -- were represented by fashions lent by rock artists and drawn from the collections of The Metropolitan's Costume Institute and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Cleveland.

Three of David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust costumes were featured at the exhibition. The exhibit opened at the Met on December 6th to March 19th, 2000. It then traveled to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and Museum in Cleveland opening May 13th to September 10th, 2000. Finally, it went to the Barbican Centre in London from October 4th to December 10th, 2000.

In total there were seven of David's costumes on display including the Natasha Korniloff designed clown outfit from the 'Ashes To Ashes' video; 'The Thin White Duke" costume, the Alexander McQueen designed Union Jack frock coat from 'Earthling', as well as the three costumes from 'Ziggy Stardust'.

David Bowie (1973 & 1990) 
Photos by Sukita & Herb Ritts

"I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art yesterday and saw the Rock Styles exhibit! We had to walk through a huge Egyptian exhibit of old rock carvings, but we wanted to see the REAL ancient rock stuff! The Bowie things they had were amazing: The short legged/short sleeved red/black Ziggy jumpsuit with the woodland creatures (rabbits) on it by Kansai. It said on the plaque that it's painted leather. I'd always thought it was sheer nylon the way it moved on his body. The Kansai black & white vinyl break-away suit. That was the most amazing - the vinyl isn't shiny any more like in the photos - must have worn off. There are lines cracked all through it too. You could see the red lining and it was displayed with THE RED ZIGGY PLATFORM BOOTS!!! They also had the Ashes to Ashes clown costume with silver ballet shoes. That was very detailed and amazing too. But everyone was gasping at how SMALL these costumes were in real life. I remember the b/w Ziggy costume on a HUGE poster in the Japanese subway - and the enormity of that made me think the costume was larger than life too! But think how tiny Bowie really is, and that stuff would have been too big for him had it been larger..." - Madeline (Feb 2000)

Ziggy Stardust boots made of PVC with plastic platforms which were a
copy of a pair of designer orginals that Bowie saw at Harpers and Queen costing £25.

"But I wasn't going to spend that! I had these made for £8 instead" - Bowie (1993)

---This page last modified: 12 Dec 2018---