Stardust sits tight, sipping her stuff, all skinny and bony and angular. A flaming red Monsanto Modacrylic streak rips across her platinum-bleached head. A heavy look rips out of her eyes. Stardust takes another pull on that straw and challenges you to Future Flash... to the Ambisexual Seventies, where every evening is a glamorous performance, all guest are stars, and their clothes - of course - the ultimate in upstaging. The future: bright but passive. Let your clothes do the talking. If David Bowie can flame with orange hair and his look-alike wife can do hers up in white with red and purple stripes - well, why be shy? Stardust and Philippe aren't hanging back. The run around the city in their twinkling jump suits, hopping out of caps in front of frightened doormen, streaking across the park like dreamscape joggers, and glowing incandescently wherever the strobes are popping that night.
Stardust and her pal Philippe glimmer away into a night of purple passion in silvery space suits (with sweaters, they can go skiing). Designed by DuMaurier in Montreal, her coveralls and his pants and jacket have an undeniably high Flash Quotient. Stardust's mirrored sunglasses from Ultimate Spectacle and Philippe's metal-rimmed Renaulds hide well-cultivated je ne sais quoi stares. That ain't no soda pop they're sipping.
Stardust's plastique space suit was made up by Jan Girard of shower-curtain fabric by the Wear-Ever Shower Curtain Company. The chair was recycled by Philip Haigat.
Stardust strolled down to the Burns Detective Agency to borrow a polygraph off a crooked-smiling dick. She wanted to put the screws to Philippe. All she got was a stoic look. Their spacy suits are by john david rinaldi of pure shiny cotton, her gloves by Aris. These jumpsuits are ultra-functional, durable, and cut out for real action. The clear Parsons table is by Plexicraft.
More shots of Stardust and Philippe au pair, cruising the town in their double-whammy suits of zoot. Lingering in front of a Seeburg jukebox that's playing a nameless tune, they sport hot pink and purple his-and-hers zip-up aviator suits of acetate and nylon by Rooland Kolodzie of Concept Seven. Kolodzie made the, up like the original flyer's jump suit of shiny nylon; they're beautifully cut - thanks to the original government research that went into the functional design - and have adjustable snaps for tightening at the hips and waist. Stardust's earrings are by Mick Mulligan.
A London designer by the name of Freddie made these Grand Union Supermarket shopping clothes. The mysterious Mr Freddie lives and works out of David Bowie's London flat. He has done much to create that Ziggy Stardust stage magic - sewing machines snapping out this insane kind of star-trekking mind-strobing Superflash. Stardust's bracelets are by Alexis Kirk, her earrings by Childstar, and Philippe's sunglasses with the black nose bridge come from Ultimate Spectacle. Fabulous Freddie is almost as gorgeous as his mentor, we hear. Freddie has a Mick Jagger face topped by a full curly d.a. haircut that he often sprays silver when he's going out on the town. Stardust''s batwing-skirted cocktail dress and Philippe's Flash Gordon metallic strolling suit are both by Freddie.
Kensai also invents some of David Bowie's most extravagant stage clothes. One of Japan's hottest new designers, Kensai works out of Tokyo and has a boutique in London. He specializes in capes that tear off at the shoulder to reveal the juicy Ambisexual Superflash lurking just underneath. That calligraphed cape on Philippe is playing straight man for what's underneath: a flaming lurex body suit fitted with one shoulder, one leg slashed off to reveal a well-turned calf (should you care to reveal a well-turned calf). Stardust prefers that Philippe keep his damned cape on and cuts the competition with her well-turned thigh. Kensai's big batwinged top for Stardust is slit high, wrapped tight around the waist, and bears a mythical golden beast. Stardust likes the feel of it with a couple of thigh-high satin boots rubbing up against each other. The silvery satin sheets they're sliding around on come from Creations by Suffola, Inc. All the special Astral Flash hair and make-up was especially designed by Rick Gillette.
One last word from Stardust and Philippe: flash on, but sedately.
Photos by Chris Von Wangenheim for Oui, February 1974.
Spelling mistake on Kansai Yamamoto is theirs!