Leigh Bowery, as Remembered by His Closest Friends and Collaborators

Hannah Lack | AnOther | 24th February 2025

Bowery was the “emperor” of London nightclubs in the 1980’s. Designer, performance artist but mostly an unclassifiable creative, his main creation was himself. Boy George described him as “modern art on legs”. Through Lucien Freud he started to gain the art world legitimacy he craved but then came an early death from AIDS. Bowery remains an enduring influence in fashion and on the dance floor. The last word is his – “dress as though your life depends on it, or don’t bother”.