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Iman Honors David Bowie with Enduring Tattoo Tribute
Supermodel Iman has paid a poignant tribute to her late husband, music icon David Bowie, with a new and deeply meaningful tattoo. The gesture comes as the world remembers Bowie, who passed away on January 10, 2016, at the age of 69 after a private 18-month battle with liver cancer.
To mark what would have been the 10th anniversary of his passing, Iman, 70, had five minimalist, rune-like black symbols from Bowie’s final album, ‘Blackstar,’ inked on her forearm. These abstract symbols cleverly spell out “BOWIE.”
Iman shared the emotional moment with her followers on Instagram this past Saturday, January 10th, posting footage of the tattooing process. Her caption resonated deeply, stating: “Jan 10th.
The pain didn’t vanish.. it left in its place a loving permanent mark.” The post was also accompanied by the hashtag “#BowieForever” and set to the soundtrack of David’s 1977 song ‘Subterraneans.’
Fans quickly flooded the comments with warm responses to the heartfelt tribute. One follower commented, “Amazing.
Simply beautiful. Thinking of you, Lexi and Duncan (and family) on this day.
Sending light and love always.” Another admirer shared, “What a beautiful tattoo.
And tribute to your wonderful husband,” while a third supporter added, “True love never dies! Much much [love] to you and your family!
Beautiful tribute!”
This touching tribute follows another recent social media post from Iman, who commemorated what would have been David’s 79th birthday just 48 hours prior to the anniversary of his passing. Alongside a monochrome photograph of the five-time Grammy Award winner, she wrote: “Jan 8th.
Happy Heavenly Birthday. Your light burns so bright in all our hearts!
We love and miss you.” This post also included the hashtag “#BowieForever.”
David and Iman shared daughter Alexandria “Lexi” Zahra Jones, 25. Iman is also stepmother to David’s 54-year-old son, filmmaker Duncan Jones, from his previous marriage.
Alexandria similarly honored her father on his birthday, sharing a collection of photographs throughout the years with the caption: “Da big 79 today. Happy birthday pops, miss ya!”
Iman and David’s love story began with a blind date in 1990. Bowie, speaking to HELLO!
magazine in 2000, recalled his instant connection: “My attraction to her was immediate and all-encompassing. That she would be my wife, in my head, was a done deal.
I’d never gone after anything in my life with such passion in all my life. I just knew she was the one.”
For Iman, the realization of their profound connection came just two weeks into their romance. In a 2011 interview with The Cut, she recounted arriving at the Los Angeles airport from Paris: “The doors open to the plane, and I come out, and I see all these people taking a picture of somebody…
He was standing there, flowers in hand, no security. That was when I knew he was a keeper.”
Following a romantic proposal on the banks of the River Seine in France, the couple exchanged vows in two ceremonies in 1992: a private ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland, on April 24th, followed by a larger wedding ceremony at the American Church of St. James in Florence, Italy, on June 6th. They remained devotedly together until David’s passing in January 2016.
Even after his death, Iman maintains that their bond endures. In a 2021 interview with People, she expressed, “I still feel married.”
She further clarified, “Someone a few years ago referred to David as my late husband, and I said, ‘No, he’s not my late husband. He’s my husband.’
Through my memory, my love lives.”