Nick Kamen’s ex-girlfriend Amanda de Cadenet has paid tribute to the Levi’s launderette model following his death from bone marrow cancer aged 59.
The Essex-born model, real name Ivor Neville Kamen, died at his £1million flat in Notting Hill, West London, on Tuesday. A swathe of celebrities, including Madonna, have since shared messages remembering the ‘most beautiful’ man.
Media personality Amanda, 48, posted a 1998 throwback image of Nick with her daughter Atlanta, now 29, on Instagram alongside a gushing caption.
Amanda and Nick, who had known each other since she was 14, embarked on a much-publicised romance from around 1998 to 2001, after which he adopted a lower profile and was rarely seen in public.
Touching: Nick Kamen’s ex-girlfriend Amanda de Cadenet paid tribute to the Levi’s launderette model following his death from bone marrow cancer aged 59
In her own emotional tribute to her former love, Amanda penned: ‘So many feelings hearing that you are gone. This is a first for me. When an ex boyfriend dies. Feels odd posting anything on social media…
‘You weren’t even on this stuff. I have so many photos I have taken of you, but this is one of the sweetest and reminds me of how much you loved [Atlanta de Cadenet Taylor]. It’s from 1998. Reading all the tributes to you…
‘People sharing how kind you were, how talented and yes incredibly handsome. I think you would like most, but you would not like that the loudest take away was that you were in an Levi’s ad and worked with Madonna…
‘So, I’m going to make sure we don’t forget that any notoriety you gained, was something you never embraced. It almost embarrassed you…
Romance: Amanda and Nick embarked on a much-publicised relationship from around 1998 to 2001, after which he adopted a lower profile and was rarely seen in public (pictured in 1999)
Rise to fame: The model appeared in his career-making Levi’s advert in 1985 aged 18
‘My experience of you, and our time together was that you spent much of your days making art, cooking,traveling, and chanting…
‘Your practice was the most important thing in your life, and I know that your last breath would’ve been Nam-myoho-renge-kyo . Hope you are with your beloved brother Barry now.’
The star’s brother, Barry Kamen, was himself a famous model and stylist who fronted the Eighties Buffalo youth culture scene. He died aged 52 on October 4, 2015, after suffering a heart attack.
Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō are words chanted within all forms of Nichiren Buddhism.
Happy couple: Nick and Amanda pictured at 1998 premiere of Rounders
Last picture: The former model is pictured two years ago at a family function after his bone cancer diagnosis but his family described him as ‘Lazarus’ for continually fighting the disease
Amanda’s daughter Atlanta, who she shares with her ex-husband Duran Duran bassist John Taylor, is now a model/blogger/DJ.
Speaking to The Guardian in 2001, Amanda said: ‘Nick’s the best-looking man I’ve ever seen, to me. There is never a time when he doesn’t look good. Never! Ever-ever-ever.
‘Which is great. Listen, I don’t see him for months at a time. So when I’m with him, I stare at him. You know? I watch my boyfriend while he’s asleep.’
The Eighties pin-up was best known for starring in a 1985 Levis 501 commercial, in which he famously stripped off in a launderette – sending sales of the jeans soaring by 500 per cent as demand failed to match supply.
The advert made him a sex symbol and 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.
The advert then caught the eye of many – including Madonna – who reached out to Kamen, leading to their collaboration, when she sent him a song she had written with Stephen Bray, which they then joined forces on
Moved: In her poignant post, she wrote: ‘Its heart breaking to know you are gone. You were always such a kind sweet human and you suffered too much. Hope you are happier wherever you are Nick Kamen’
Tribute: The Like A Virgin hitmaker also shared a number of snaps of Nick modelling over the years, including one picture that was promoting his hit single ‘Each Time You Break My Heart’, which they sang together
Loss: Nick had battled back from the brink of death so many times that his family affectionately called him ‘Lazarus’ after he was first diagnosed with the cancer four years ago
In her own poignant tribute yesterday, Madonna wrote: ‘Its heart breaking to know you are gone. You were always such a kind sweet human and you suffered too much. Hope you are happier wherever you are Nick Kamen.’
Nick had battled back from the brink of death so many times that his family affectionately called him ‘Lazarus’ after he was first diagnosed with cancer four years ago.
Despite extensive care, including stem cell treatment, he succumbed to the cancer after being in remission.
Claim to fame: Nick (seen here in 1995) was best known for his appearance in an iconic 1985 Levi advert
Model: Levi’s ‘Launderette’ ad launched in the UK on Boxing Day, 1985, and became an instant hit
His tearful sister Denise Kent told MailOnline: ‘He was a real fighter. He gave it everything and was in and out of hospital. He never gave up and put up such a good fight It has been four years. A long time’
Denise, from Witney, Oxfordshire, who last saw her brother on Sunday, said family members would take it in turn to visit Nick at his London home and give his partner Lucinda some respite from caring for him.
Denise said during the four-year battle to beat the cancer, family members were convinced he would pass away.
But she said: ‘He would always fight back and would not give up. He came back so often we would call him Lazarus after biblical character. He really did fight so hard.’
A gold disc from Kane’s singing career hangs on the wall of Denise’s home, marking 250,000 sales of the single ‘I Promised Myself’ in 1990.
Comedian Matt Lucas summed up his status as one of the 1980s most memorable sex symbols by tweeting: ‘If you didn’t have a crush on Nick Kamen in the 80s, you probably weren’t there’.
Boy George described the late singer as the ‘most beautiful’ and ‘sweetest’ man, while John Taylor of Duran Duran said on Twitter: ‘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’.
And director Mark Lebon wrote: ‘RIP MY DEAR FRIEND’.
Kamen, who was born in Harlow, Essex, first came to public attention when he appeared on the front of The Face magazine in 1984 wearing a ski hat, lipstick and aviator sunglasses.
Romance: Kamen dated famous women including the actress Talisa Soto, who he is seen with at the Brit Awards at Grosvenor House Hotel in London, England on February 9, 1987
Home: Kamen died on Tuesday night at his home in West London (pictured on Wednesday)
Loss: Boy George described the late singer as the ‘most beautiful’ and ‘sweetest’ man, while John Taylor of Duran Duran said on Twitter: ‘So so sad to hear of the passing of Nick Kamen. One of the loveliest and gentlest men I ever met’
The 1985 advert saw him stripping off and washing his jeans in front of a host of onlookers to the sound of Marvin Gaye’s 1968 hit Heard It Through The Grapevine.
The advert, which was directed by Roger Lyons, led to a huge boost in sales for Levi and came forth in a countdown of the 100 greatest ads of all time.
It caught the eye of many – including Madonna – who reached out to Kamen, leading to their collaboration, when she sent him a song she had written with Stephen Bray.
They then joined forces on the track and he became her protégé.
Kamen launched a career in pop music in 1986 with the number five hit Each Time You Break My Heart from his eponymous debut album.
After contacting him, Madonna signed on to produce and sing backing vocals on the track.
Kamen’s second single, Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever, a cover of the Four Tops’ 1966 hit, was less successful but reached number 16.
In a BBC radio interview in 1986, Madonna said she was inspired by Kamen’s ‘charisma’ and ‘beautiful voice’, which led her to reaching out to him.
After they were made acquaintance, Madonna volunteered to write and produce the song Each Time You Break My Heart, where she also makes a cameo, singing background vocals in the bridge of the song towards the end.
His relationship with Madonna hit headlines in the Eighties while she was dating Sean Penn.
It was claimed that she had cheated with Kamen – an accusation she staunchly denied despite claims although he was made ‘wildly jealous’.
Past love: The supermodel Tatjana Patitz, who Kamen dated. She is pictured on the runway at the Paris Fashion Week in January, 1992
Amanda’s daughter Atlanta is now a model/blogger/DJ
