April 24 marks what would’ve been the 32nd wedding anniversary of David Bowie and Somalian-American supermodel Iman. The couple wed in a private civil ceremony on April 24, 1992, in Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Bowie and Iman had one child together, daughter Alexandra “Lexi” Zahra Jones, who was born in August 2000. At the time of his death from cancer in January 2016, Bowie had been married to Iman for more than 23 years.
Iman commemorated her anniversary with the British rock legend with a couple of posts on her Instagram page. One post features the adage “The years may pass, but still you stay and stay and stay,” along with a message that reads, “April 24th Wedding Anniversary #BowieForever #EternalLove.”
A second post features a series of pics from a Vogue photo shoot featuring Bowie and Iman taken on a beach in 1995 by photographer Bruce Weber. The pics are accompanied by a brief message: “April 24th #BowieForever.”
Iman also posted a different photo of her and her late husband together on her Facebook page. The pic shows Bowie reclining on a couch with Iman seated behind him and wrapping her arms around him. Bowie’s Instagram identifies that image as a pic taken in Amsterdam by photographer Ellen von Unwerth in 2003.
Fans React to Iman’s David Bowie Tribute
Reacting to the photo, a number of fans shared poignant messages in the comments section of the post.
“Happy Anniversary to you and David,” one fan wrote. “Love has no boundaries – time or space. I hope you feel him around you today and everyday … I’m sure he’s there in everything.”
Another commented, “He is missed so much Iman what a wonderful love story the two of you shared & your heart still holds near! most beautiful couple in the world.”
A third fan wrote, “I so admire you, Iman. You have certain persevered this last few years without your beloved. Showing dignity and grace. You two were a beautiful couple inside and out.”
About Bowie’s and Iman’s Romance, and the Album It Inspired
David Bowie met Iman in Los Angeles in October 1990, after the end of his Sound+Vision Tour.
As Bowie prepared for his wedding, he composed music for the nuptials, which, in turn, inspired a number of songs that he wrote for his 1993 studio album, Black Tie White Noise.
The album includes songs titled “The Wedding” and “The Wedding Song.”
“I had to write music that represented for me the growth and character of our relationship,” Bowie explained in a 1993 Rolling Stone interview. “It really was a watershed. It opened up a wealth of thoughts and feelings about commitment and promises and finding the strength and fortitude to keep those promises.”
He added, “It all came tumbling out of me while I was writing this music for church. And I thought, ‘I can’t stop here. There’s more that I have to get out.’ For me it was a tentative first step toward writing from a personal basis. It triggered the album.”
