Nudity and the color purple: in fashion, Prince reigned supreme | CNN

Nudity and the color purple: in fashion, Prince reigned supreme

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The musician Prince has died at the age of 57

He had a successful career spanning four decades

His image was a crucial facet of his creative output, with many of his outfits becoming iconic

CNN  — 

His Royal Badness, the Purple One, “the artist formerly known as Prince” and of course, simply Prince, has died at the age of 57. With a career spanning four decades, and many monikers, the legendary musician will not be soon forgotten.

Nor will he be remembered solely for his music. Ever the showman, his image was a crucial facet of his creative output. From-head-to-toe sequins to ruffled collars, nudity and a well-publicized penchant for purple, Prince’s outfits became as legendary as his music.

Rising to prominence in the 1970s, he pioneered “the Minneapolis sound”, a mixture of funk, rock, pop, synthpop and new wave.

Over the course of his career he won seven Grammy Awards, and earned 30 nominations. Five of his singles have topped the charts and 14 other songs hit the Top 10. He won an Oscar for the original song score to the classic film “Purple Rain.”

Regarded as a pop culture icon, the artist played with gender and sexuality, always defying convention. Nowhere was this more obvious than in the way he dressed.

With a look that constantly evolved, his audacious wardrobe was an inspiration to the fashion industry, who have been paying tribute to him since the news broke.

A fashion icon remembered