The world's first large-scale retrospective tracing the footsteps of David Bowie, "David Bowie is," will open at London's Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) from March 23rd.

The exhibition brings together for the first time ever over 300 archive items, including costumes, photographs, videos, instruments owned by Bowie, and artwork. It explores Bowie's creative process as a musical innovator and cultural icon, while tracing the evolution of his style and the dazzling transformation he underwent over the course of 50 years. Among the more than 60 stage costumes are the Ziggy Stardust bodysuit designed by Freddie Buretti (1972), Kansai Yamamoto's ornate designs for the Aladdin Sane tour (1973), and the Union Jack coat designed by Bowie and Alexander McQueen for the Earthling album cover. The exhibition also features photographs by Brian Duffy, Terry O'Neill, and Masayoshi Sukita, album sleeve artwork by Guy Peellaert and Edward Bell, excerpts from films and live performances including "The Man Who Fell to Earth" (1976) and "Saturday Night Live" (1979), music videos such as "Boys Keep Swinging" (1979) and "Let's Dance" (1983), and set designs for the "Diamond Dogs" tour (1974). Additionally, the exhibition will feature never-before-seen storyboards, handwritten set lists and lyrics, as well as personal items such as Bowie's handwritten sketches, sheet music, and excerpts from his journals. The exhibition is sponsored by Gucci, and the brand's creative director, Frida Giannini, commented, "David Bowie is one of my greatest sources of inspiration. His individuality and originality, which he always maintained, are outstanding, and the influence of his outstanding creations across a wide range of genres has been immeasurable over the past few decades. This influence will remain unchanged and undiminished for decades to come."