Leigh Bowery

By Eleanor Spence

About Leigh Bowery

Leigh Bowery (26th March 1961 31st December
1994) was an Australian fashion designer, model,
performance artist and club promoter based in
London. He was born in Sunshine, Victoria, Australia,
and moved to London in 1980.
Bowery became well known in local clubs, mostly for
the strange outfits he designed and wore. He later
befriend two fellow clubbers Guy Barnes and David
Walls who he began living with. Bowery outfitted the
two in his designs, and the three became known on
the London club scene as the Three Kings.
Though Bowery identified as gay, he married his
friend Nicola Bateman in May 1994, considering the
wedding to be a performance between the both of
them. Bowery died on New Years Eve, 1994, from an
AIDS related illness, only 7 months after marrying
Nicola.

Impact
Bowery is considered one of
the more influential figures in
London and New York art and
fashion circles in the 1980s and
1990s. He influenced a
generation of artists, musicians
and designers, including
Alexander McQueen, Lucian
Freud, Vivienne Westwood,
John Galliano, Boy
George, Lady Gaga and
the Scissor Sisters.

Taboo
In 1985, Bowery opened his own
nightclub called Taboo, which
served as a meeting point for all
types of people inspired by
freedom of expression and
absolute disregard for the
traditional. The club closed in
1986, due to an article claiming it
was a den of vice and drugs, but
Bowery felt it was the right that
the club should close while it was
considered the pinnacle of
London nightlife, instead of
closing due to a lack of popularity.