David Bowie’s Influence on The Peacock Revolution
Task at Hand
With my interest in the history of menswear and my appeal for David Bowie, I researched David Bowie’s impact on the liberating Peacock Revolution (1960’s-1970s). The Peacock Revolution encapsulated a time period centered around individualism and self-expression. Menswear began shifting towards romantic and fluid themes, further exploring the feminism that sits within masculinity. The Peacock Revolution represented the overall pivot towards embracing oneself, unapologetically. Stylistically rooted in art movements; art nouveau and art deco, Peacock fashion was characterized by organic lines, novelty patterns, gender bending colors, with a slim tapered silhouette. Design details such as embroidery, ruffles, and gathers continued the exploration of the romanticism associated within the Peacock Revolution.The aesthetic shift referenced in the Peacock Revolution represents the rising generation’s new found security in their masculinity.
Process
After researching the historic values and details of The Peacock Revolution, the clarity of David Bowie’s correlation became apparent. Music began representing subcultures of style tribes rooted in self-expression on a larger scale than before, affecting consumers' buying behavior at mass level. David Bowie’s sensualism was rooted in his spirit, early in Bowie’s career he performed through his character “Ziggy Stardust”, The personification of David Bowie evoked gender bending attitudes and themes through a theatrical sense. Ziggy was associated with androgyny often seen reflected in costume-esque garments such as jumpsuits, dresses, and balloon pants ornamented with sequins, abstract detailing, and saturated colors.The characterization brought fans into a new subversive world where they could feel free to explore their individuality. This personification stretched the Peacock Revolution to a broader more fluid place, further liberating the youth subculture associated
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Impact
Researching menswear origins broadened my perspective on the fluctuations of fashion as all of fashion is derived from menswear. Specifically, I enjoyed connecting David Bowie’s stylist choices to the The Peacock Revolution by integration themes of liberation and fluidity. I find menswear specifically interesting as it stretches through periods of conservative and boundary pushing dependent on the Zeitgeist.