Leigh Bowery

[ClassicFashion]

With Gareth Pugh and a big 80s resurgence, I was surprised we didn't have a Leigh Bowery Thread.

From Wikipedia:
"Bowery...tottered about the premises in anything from baby-doll nighties, elephant ear collared 1970s disco shirts, kilts with frilly underwear, blouses and tights, above multi-coloured patent leather platform-soled shoes. To top off the look, Bowery took to extremes of makeup, wigs and hats, from a curly yellow-blonde coiffure with face painted in huge red polka dots, to a tiny policeman's helmet perched above a face made up to resemble a herpes scab infestation. Making the most of his very oversize girth and height, Bowery then shaved his head, poured black molten wax over it, wore two-inch white false eyelashes, and painted his face and cheeks in grotesque imitation of a kewpie doll..."

Credit: myspace.com/uselessman

 

[Lena]

Leigh was not a fashion designer, even though he designed his own costumes

i see him more as an artist, somekind of a cabaret act without a show, hence for now i think it's better to move this thread to another tFS section

 

[gius]

oh isn't it boy george in the bottom right corner? we have a thread on him, his style too

 

[Estella*]

i saw some of his pieces at the venice biennale last year, i'll try to find the snippet of film that i have of them, it was quite a beautiful/eerie scenery.
thanks for the thread.

 

[La bordélique]

I found these beautiful pictures of Leigh Bowery by Nick Knight (for i-D magazine).
I had to post them!

alissongothz.com.br

 

[ChrissyM]

so odd...
the one at the bottom there (yellow face) reminds me of the makeup boy george did at one point..

*i see gius also noticed the boy george reference above

 

[La bordélique]

Boy George cast himself as Leigh Bowery in the musical "Taboo"... I guess he liked going out in his costume because I saw pictures of him with the exact makeup on, at various events.

 

[VICTIM]

^they were also friends while leigh was alive

i'm really interested in leighs clothes that he made as collections, i know kim jones has collected a lot of his stuff i think its amazing

i tried that jacket on (stephen robinson of rellik has it) i swear it weighs more than me the fringes are all gold hair grips


images from http://www.alissongothz.com.br

 

[ChrissyM]

that definitely sheds some light on that connection then

thanks guys

 

[strawberry daiquiri]

I generally like weird p), but his stuff is always just creepy to me...

 

[La bordélique]

I find this so funny (his performance at the end.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7e2DKHFvEg

 

[Diamond Star]

^ the expressions of the audience!

Luician Frued's drawings of Leigh:

1: Painting: Leigh Bowery 1991

2. Etching: Large Head (state II) 1993

 

[erinina]

that video is so funny!

yeah, leigh bowery did the wax-head thing to boy george.

i also love all of the freud paintings...he did several. its so interesting to see leigh sort of out of character like that.

has anyone seen the documentary on him? the local nyc channel plays it occasionally when they have "documentary night". it goes quite into detail about his performances and relationship with boy george and lucian freud.

guardian.co.uk

the painting from the above picture:

metmuseum.org

 

[VICTIM]

^i'm pretty sure leigh had been dead for a while before boy george had started dressing as him

 

[eugenius]

check out his performance @ NYCs Wigstock Festival on youtube..the clip is nearly 4 1/2 mins long, but the real kicker is towards the end..i would post it, but it's probably a little too inappropriate to post here..

 

[ElleBoogieBrown]

LEIGH BOWERY! Inspired by..

Hi guys!! So being one of the few late 20 YO students in my fashion school, I;m shocked to learn that almost no one in my classes know of the great Leigh Bowery!

I know many great designers were inspired by the outrageous looks he has done and want to know of any more you guys can think of.

Let's talk about how much of a great artist he is!! I hate how much people try to compare Lady Caca to him. NO COMPARISON!

 

[cygnenoir]

You should make your classmates watch "The Legend of Leigh Bowery"!

I'm pretty sure it's still online somewhere as that's where I saw it.

And to be fair, Lady Gaga has mentioned him many times as a huge influence.

 

[ElleBoogieBrown]

Yes I know she has giving respect to Leigh, its just frustrating watching clips and reading comments comparing the two. Not hating here at all (despite my C and G interchange).. B)

 

[cygnenoir]

Yes I know she has giving respect to Leigh, its just frustrating watching clips and reading comments comparing the two. Not hating here at all (despite my C and G interchange).. B)

Do not worry, I'm not a scary Gaga stan.

But it was her mentioning him in some interview ages ago that made me start re-thinking his work and look for that film. I imagine I'm not the only one?

 

[thejarc]

I found the film

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykSK8LJYQqE

Gonna start watching it now.