Dior Homme’s spring 2002 collection came at a time when Hedi Slimane was still focused on sartorial tailoring. There were no traces of the ostentatious, ready-to-wear megastar that Slimane would become in a few short years, and now, upon viewing the collection in retrospect, it’s a reminder of how he once changed the fashion world with his elegant and slim tailoring. The smoking jackets were cropped with high armholes, and donned by long haired boys who by and large had little modeling experience. Slimane often opted to employ scene kings from his usual haunts of Berlin, London and New York.

The signature piece from the collection was in fact not a suit at all, but rather the “bloodwound” shirts seen peeking out from beneath the smoking jackets. These stirring tops were made in small quantities by Maison Lesage, one of the preeminent couture ateliers. They contain delicate beading in the shape of a bleeding heart, a design lifted from an old still of Johnny Thunders’ iconic post-New York Dolls band The Heartbreakers. The reference landed one of Slimane’s tops in the MET’s 2013 “Punk: Chaos is Couture” exhibition. These tops were produced in a few different versions, including black and white sleeveless button-downs, and the cotton tank top version shown here.

Condition: 8/10. Small red bleed around the sequins.

Tagged size: S

Shoulder: 16in

Pit to pit: 19in

Length: 25in