One week ago Michael Jackson died. Fans and friends say goodbye to a style icon, to a Pop idol, to a source of inspiration - and to a magnet of scandals. We asked designers how they remember the King of Pop.

Steven Heller
“I was a big fan of the Jackson Five (I particularly like Jermaine; and even called myself by that name, although it didn't quite fit my New York Jewish persona). Michael's voice was as smooth as 1, 2, 3. I hoped he'd never grow up. Of course, he did, and his solo career was astounding. I was in awe of the moon walk (and tried it often and failed owing to my issues with gravity). I was not a fan in recent years owing to his various follies - he became the personification of self design runamuck - but when I learned of his death at 50 (on the same day as Farah Fawcett) I was deeply saddened. I knew he should never have grown up, but maybe he never did.”

Stefan Sagmeister
“I might not be the person to ask, as I was not a fan.One thing I do remember was that when his album History came out, Sony had spent $ 50 million to advertise it, which at the time was just a crazy amount. Even if they counted on an unlikely repeat of the sales of Thriller and sold 50 million CD's, every CD would have had $1 in advertising cost added. History turned out semi-successful. When they refused to advertise his next album similarly, he called a press conference and charged Sony with racism.”

Konstantin Grcic
“I like his music and I have the feeling it is also part of my generation somehow, but there were other musicians and bands I really adored or loved. I found about his death this evening on CNN in a hotel in Berlin. I was glued to the screen for about an hour, reverent and touched in a way. Michael Jackson was a Pop icon and as such a significant artwork of our time.”

Volker Albus
“He was the only one whom we ever forgave for having jack-ups, and more than that; he gave them cult status. That about says everything!”

Peter Saville
“Michael Jackson passed through my radar. He did not mean that much to me. Not many musicians do. I think my biggest influence was Kraftwerk, visually speaking. But on the night that Michael Jackson died, Puff Daddy said something about him, that struck me: He made me see the beat. He was a visualizer of music. And that is so true.”

George Lois
“Each time Michael Jackson stepped on the stage he reinvented himself, not only in the clothes he chose but also in his constantly altering physical appearance. A star since his spectacular debut with The Jackson 5 in the late 1960s, he grew up in front of our eyes, an astonishing prodigy, stylistically wise beyond his years, expressing both the exuberance of a child and the swagger of a seasoned stage performer. At the time of his revolutionary Thriller album, he wore short, tight pants; a black sequined jacket; a black hat; black loafers; white socks–anda knockout, now iconic, sequined glove on his right hand.He went on to bondage and leather motifs, militaristic jackets,and glittering armbands–all looks Michael could hide behind, as if he desired protection, desperately wanting not to be exposed to his adoring fans.”

Markus Weisbeck
“Eminem died and he is standing at the doors of hell and the heaven. They told them he is going to hell because of his sins.
Eminem: “ok but I really want to see the heaven, i want to know what i am missing...”
the man at the door: “No way, a man only goes to one side, you can' t get in the heaven.”
Eminem: “wait a minute, but i just saw Michael Jackson, he was going from hell to heaven with his bike!”
The man: “Oh; is he? No, this is GOD but he thinks he is Michael Jackson”