With no formal fashion education to boast of, Jean Paul Gaultier established himself in the 70s and 80s as the “enfant terrible" of French fashion. His irreverent style left nothing sacred, dancing over the standard guard rails of high-fashion — he played with gender roles, adorning men in skirts decades before others opted to, and allowed plus sized women and older men to grace his runways. His talent was undeniable, though his utilization of such gifts made him a fiercely divisive designer. While often ripped by the French press, he gained the hearts of numerous subversive, forward-thinking icons, including Madonna and Marilyn Manson, both whom he conceptualized tour wardrobes for.

Throughout his career, Jean Paul Gaultier was always prescient in championing taboo and maligned parts of society. We can see it expressed in less drastic terms with his adoptions of heavy metal imagery, during an era when public backlash against Marilyn Manson was reaching a fervor, and more powerfully with his statements on AIDS, (notably his famous Safe Sex Forever print) which claimed Gaultier’s longtime lover. It is logical that he would have appreciated graffiti as an artistic medium long before the general public. While it was a key visual aesthetic of the ‘90s, both as a method of art and rebellion, it was often looked down upon by the art world and general public. Gaultier employed graffiti prints numerous times during his career, with this trucker jacket being one of the more notable offerings. It features some famous iconography, including the silhouetted sketch of Gaultier himself, reintroduced by Supreme in their recent collaboration with the label.

Condition: 9/10. No significant flaws.   

Tagged size: L

Shoulder: 17in

Pit to pit: 21in

Length: 21.5in

Sleeve: 24.5in