LONDON — The fashion and music industries paid tribute to British model and singer Nick Kamen, who died on Tuesday at the age of 59 in his West London apartment after a two-year battle with bone marrow cancer.
In popular culture, Kamen was best known for his appearance in the 1985 Levi’s 501 commercial shot in a launderette, as well as hit songs like 1986’s “Each Time You Break My Heart,” which was produced by Madonna, and 1990’s “I Promised Myself.” “Dressed in a T-shirt and 501 jeans, model Nick Kamen immediately caught the eye and interest of everyone watching him onsite and onscreen. The plan was for Nick’s gorgeous good looks and athletic build to inspire Nick want-to-be fans to dress the same. It worked — sales skyrocketed after the ad, by a whopping 800 percent according to some estimates,” the brand said.
A model wears a creation by Belgium’s Kris Van Assche as part of his men’s fall 2008-2009 fashion collection, which was inspired by Kamen’s Levi’s 501 launderette commercial, presented in Paris, Jan. 18, 2008. AP Photo/Christophe Ena