Kansai Yamamoto, David Bowie's Costume Designer, Dies at 76

Japanese fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto, renowned for creating David Bowie's iconic stage costumes, died of leukemia on July 21, 2020, at age 76. Born in 1944 in Yokohama to a poor tailor's family, Yamamoto initially studied English literature before founding his studio, Yamamoto Kansai Company, in 1971. His designs, characterized by exuberant maximalism and the concept of basara, debuted at London Fashion Week that same year. Bowie discovered Yamamoto's work in a King's Road shop, purchasing kabuki and ukiyo-e-inspired garments for his Ziggy Stardust tour. Their collaboration deepened for the 1973 Aladdin Sane tour, where Yamamoto crafted pieces like a knitted jumpsuit based on Japanese workwear, a cape with Bowie's name in kanji, and the Tokyo Pop jumpsuit featuring press studs for dramatic onstage transformations. In a 2016 interview, Yamamoto described a 'chemical reaction' where his costumes became integral to Bowie's music and message.