Badges in the David Bowie Archive Reveal Fan Culture and DIY Identity

The David Bowie Archive, held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, contains around 90,000 items including a vast collection of badges that span Bowie's career. These badges range from official merchandise to fan-made creations, reflecting the DIY culture of the 1960s onward. Among them is a homemade badge by Bowie himself, featuring an image of him with Beat poet William Burroughs, taken by Terry O'Neill in 1974 and colored with felt-tip pen. The archive also includes a badge from the 17th Annual Grammy Awards in 1975, where Bowie presented an award to Aretha Franklin, and a rocket pin badge gifted to the cast and crew of the musical Lazarus. The collection is cataloged thematically and is accessible by appointment.