THE 1970s were huge for fashion. Never before had fashion been so outrageous and loud, so daring and rebellious. But then again, the '70s had Bowie. Now it all makes sense.

David Bowie was born David Robert Jones in January 1947, in Brixton, London. His mother, Margaret Mary 'Peggy' Burns worked as a cinema usherette, and his father, Haywood Stenton 'John' Jones, was a promotions officer for Barnados. From a young age, Bowie had displayed talent in music, often singing in school choirs, but it was when his father brought home a selection of American gramophone records that he fell in love. His idols included Elvis Presley and Fats Domino. In 1958, Bowie studied art, music and design at Bromley Technical High School. It was here that he was involved in a brawl that left him with an injured left eye, that no amount of surgery could fully fix, leaving him with his trademark oddly coloured eyes.

As time went on, Bowie played with various bands, his first being the Konrads when he was 15. However, it wasn't until 1969 that Bowie caught the world's attention with the song 'Space Oddity'. After a period of re-inventing himself, he returned in 1972 during the glam rock era. But he didn't return alone. Bowie, and his alter-ego Ziggy Stardust, returned more flamboyant and exciting than ever before. This was just the beginning.

Bowie soon progressed from the somewhat feminine tight shirts and flares to a whole new level of androgyny; jumpsuits, make up, towering platforms, feather boas and bright red hair made up the look of Ziggy Stardust. Although the man himself went through many changes, the look just grew more and more wild all the time, inspiring millions and shooting Bowie to a cult status previously unseen.

However, even Bowie needed a little help along the way. Japanese designer Kansai Yamamoto is responsible for designing the androgynous Ziggy Stardust costumes that Bowie wore on his 3rd UK tour. From the multi-coloured body-suit made from metallic yarn and topped off with stuffed bangles, to the 'Space-samurai' costume, made from shiny red, black and blue material and quilted and lined with black sequins, Yamamoto designed them all. Yamamoto really knew Bowie's style, making him the perfect choice of designer. He once described Bowie as being 'Neither man nor woman', which suited Yamamoto fine as most of his clothes were unisex.

After his first ever collection was put on show in London in 1971, Bowie approached Yamamoto through a mutual friend asking him to design several outfits for his 'Ziggy Stardust' and 'Aladdin Sane' tour. Since then, Yamamoto has risen to fame, and is now one of the biggest names in the Japanese fashion world.

The '70s was full of fashion; from the mini, the midi and the maxi, to the disco style and flares, to nostalgia and punk. But it is undeniable that without Bowie, the '70s just wouldn't be what it was. The uniqueness, liberation and creativity he brought to both music and fashion is priceless; he is the fashion icon.