{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1775144"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1775144/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PF7962/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PF7962/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2025PF7962","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PF7963","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PC1464","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PC1463","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PC1462","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PC1461","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PC1460","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1775144","accessionNumber":"S.379-2024","objectType":"Coat","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Frockcoat designed by Alexander McQueen for David Bowie for the <i>Outside</i> live tour, 1996. Lightweight dark grey-blue 3/4 length frockcoat. Single breasted, fastens with a metal hook and eye closure. Has a peak lapel and two pointed flap pockets, and two vents at the back. The coat is lined with taupe coloured faux silk, and has two inner breast pockets. On the right hand inner breast, there is a black fabric label with white text embroidered on it. In the right hand inner breast pocket, there is a white label with grey text printed on it. ","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Alexander McQueen","id":"AUTH319262"},"association":{"text":"designer and maker","id":"x34662"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"wool","id":"x40131"},{"text":"terylene","id":"AAT132879"},{"text":"mohair","id":"AAT192989"},{"text":"metal","id":"AAT10900"}],"techniques":[{"text":"machine sewing","id":"AAT257463"},{"text":"embroidery","id":"x40351"},{"text":"printing","id":"AAT53319"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Machine sewn wool, terylene and mohair coat, with metal fastening, and printed and embroidered labels","categories":[{"text":"David Bowie Archive","id":"THES394093"},{"text":"Entertainment and leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2025PF7962","2025PF7963","2025PC1464","2025PC1463","2025PC1462","2025PC1461","2025PC1460"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"017","id":"THES309957"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"coats","id":"AAT46143"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1996","earliest":"1996-01-01","latest":"1996-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchase funded by the V&A Americas Foundation through the generosity of the Blavatnik Family Foundation and Warner Music Group","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"108","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"47","unit":"cm","qualifier":"shoulder to shoulder","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"66","unit":"cm","qualifier":"sleeve length","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"ALEXANDER MCQUEEN","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Embroidered in white text on the black label in the inner right hand breast of the coat."},{"content":"A NORMA DI LEGGE 883 DEL 26/11/73 E SUCC MODIFICHE\n\n50 \r\nDISPOSIZIONE 75550\r\nMODELLO EA 40001 78\r\nART/COL AUA4/49\r\nTG EO \r\nORDINE\r\n\r\nCOMPOSIZIONE \r\n55% TERYLENE TERYLENE\r\n30% LANA WOOL\n15% MOHAIR MOHAIR \n\nMADE IN ITALY\r\n","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW 883 OF 11/26/73 AND SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS\r\n\r\n50 \r\nDISPOSITION 75550\r\nMODEL EA 40001 78\r\nART/COL AUA4/49\r\nTG EO \r\nORDER\r\n\r\nCOMPOSITION \r\n55% TERYLENE TERYLENE\r\n30% WOOL WOOL\r\n15% MOHAIR MOHAIR \r\n\r\nMADE IN ITALY","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Printed on the white label sewn into the inner right hand breast pocket of the coat. "}],"objectHistory":"This frock coat was custom-made for Bowie by Alexander McQueen in 1996, a then relatively unknown London design working out of a studio in Hoxton Square. Bowie had read about McQueen’s work in the British press and was keen to commission him to work on his costumes for his upcoming summer festival tour to promote the album <i>1. Outside</i>. Bowie allegedly called McQueen directly, who answered the phone and, unphased by Bowie’s celebrity, pretended to be an assistant working in McQueen’s studio, afterwards telling close friend Simon Ungless that Bowie ‘wants me to do tour costumes or something’. McQueen was an admirer of Bowie’s style, and agreed to take on the commission. He was sent Bowie’s measurements over the phone and created a number of frock coats for Bowie to wear on stage in 1996, later going on to make further frock coats for the <i>Earthling</i> live tour in 1997.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Frockcoat designed by Alexander McQueen for David Bowie for the <i>Outside</i> live tour, 1996","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Nicholas Pegg, <i>The Complete David Bowie</i> (Great Britain, 2016), p.430-3"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Dana Thomas, 'David Bowie, Alexander McQueen, and the Making of That Iconic 90s-Era Union Jack Coat', <i>Vanity Fair</i>, 11 January 2016"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[{"text":"Summer Festivals","id":"AUTH403604"}],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.379-2024"],"accessionNumberNum":"379","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2024,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"David Bowie Archive Number","id":"THES394108"},"number":"1995.2011.0015"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-11","recordCreationDate":"2024-03-19","availableToBook":true}}