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.

Never one to shy away from controversy, Gaultier openly courted subcultures which huddled in the fringes of society. To a present-day audience, the morbid visuals of heavy metal bands likely seem more theatrical than menacing, but it can’t be discounted how much cultural animosity was aimed towards them around the turn of the millennium, culminating in Marilyn Manson being accused of inspiring the Columbine shooters. Here Gaultier reinvents his namesake in a severe font atop a satanic figure. There were several different iterations of this shirt produced, coming from different sub-lines of Jean Paul Gaultier. This version comes from the Maille Homme line, and unlike the more readily available sheer long sleeves, it’s made with a raw hemmed cotton fabric.

Condition: 9/10. No significant flaws.

Tagged size: M

Shoulder: 16.5in

Pit to pit: 18in

Length: 22.5in

Sleeve: 23.5in