David Bowie and Iman had a storybook romance for 25 years

Weeks before their 1992 wedding, David Bowie described his bride-to-be Iman as "a smoky blend of Sophia Loren and Audrey Hepburn" and two decades later in a 2002 interview she candidly told PEOPLE that she "still fancies him."

Bowie, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 69, two days after his birthday, had a storybook romance with the stunning Somali-born model. Their decision to keep their love story out of the spotlight, despite their superstar status, is what made them extremely endearing.

At points, they would remark about how they were just two people who fell in love with each other.

"I fell in love with David Jones," the supermodel told the Guardian in 2014, in reference to her husband's real name. "Bowie is just a persona," she explained. "He's a singer, an entertainer. David Jones is a man I met."

The pair first met at a party in Los Angeles. Rumor has it, Bowie was immediately smitten while Iman was more reserved. He once joked that he was so captured by her beauty he picked out their children's names -- she was more reserved. Both Iman and Bowie were previously married. Iman was married to basketball star Spencer Haywood and had a daughter, Zulekha Haywood, while Bowie was married to model and now reality star Angela Bowie.

Ultimately the pair couldn't resist the attraction and they tied the knot in a romantic and private ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland. They later had a child together, Alexandria Zahra Jones. Throughout their marriage, the pair often joked about what made their marriage work.

"David doesn't fight," Iman told Harper's Bazaar in an interview. "He is English, so he just stays quiet. I'm the screamer. Then he always makes me laugh. It's like cabaret. I keep him entertained, too. I still fancy him – totally! – after all these years."

David explained that the two have a special trick for keeping their relationship hot. "Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation generally does the trick!" he said in an interview with PEOPLE in 2005.

The day of his death, Iman filled her Instagram account with photos of her longtime love from his fans. She also shared a touching quote: "You will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory."

While the book may be closed on their storybook romance, the memories will live on long after.