Oh, he was a beauty.
Madonna protégé and Levis launderette model Nick Kamen has died of bone marrow cancer, age 59.
According to The Daily Mail, he had suffered from the illness for two years and was being nursed by a female friend called Lucinda.
A true ’80s heartthrob, Kamen was probably best known in America for that famous 1985 Levis 501 commercial (below), in which he stripped to his skivvies in a laundromat – sending sales of the jeans soaring by 500% as demand failed to match supply.
The commercial left women (and gays) GASPING at his Elvis-like good looks. It caught the attention of Madonna, who sent him a song she had written with Stephen Bray. The pair then joined together for “Each Time you Break my Heart” (She also sings backup.)
(Also in the video, little Felix Howard – the kid from Madonna’s “Open Your Heart” video…)(Both Nick and Felix were big in the Buffalo Style movement…)
Kamen went on to date actress Talisa Soto, supermodel Tatjana Patitz, and TV presenter Amanda de Cadenet (from 1999 to 2001), after which he adopted a lower profile and was rarely seen in public.
Boy George led the celebrity tributes this morning, calling Nick “the most beautiful and sweetest man.”
Duran Duran said: ‘So so sad to hear of the passing of Nick Kamen. One of the loveliest and gentlest men I ever met. He was a beloved friend to my daughter and her Mom. We shall all miss him. RIP Nick’.
Comedian Matt Lucas tweeted: ‘If you didn’t have a crush on Nick Kamen in the 80s, you probably weren’t there. RIP.’
And director Mark Lebon wrote: ‘RIP MY DEAR FRIEND’.
Very sad. Rest in Power, Nick Kamen.
