Is David Bowie A Label Whore?
Oct. 27 2008, Published 7:07 a.m. ET
Being one of the most stylish men alive is no guarantee against committing fashion faux pas—just ask David Bowie. The classic rock hero turned up at Glamour magazine's Women of the Year awards looking ever so dapper, but for one detail: the manufacturer's tag on the sleeve of his suit. In photos taken on the red carpet, the name of the designer was clearly legible: Men's Wearhouse. (Psych! It was Valentino.)
The sight of a trendsetter like Bowie flaunting his tag might have caused other partygoers to wonder whether they had missed a memo. Is this how the kids are doing it these days?
They needn't worry. While Bowie's reps didn't comment, GQ style editor Adam Rapoport says there is no nascent vogue for visible labels on high-end apparel. "It's a definite fashion don't," he confirms. "It's not like the Lacoste crocodile or the Polo pony. You would never, ever walk out of a Valentino store with a label on the outside of your jacket."
Rapoport speculates that Bowie borrowed the suit for the event, and didn't realize the tag was still attached: "It's the sartorial equivalent of having a piece of parsley in your teeth and no one points it out to you."
Photos: Patrick McMullan
Detailed photographic evidence after the jump