Object: Man's jacket
Brand:
Shail Upadhya
Date: 1988
Medium: Cotton denim and paint
Country: USA
Credit Line: Gift of The Estate of Shail Upadhya
Object number: 2013.36.2
DescriptionMan's dark indigo denim suit jacket with hand painted Keith Haring inspired design overall in neon yellow and bright turquoise, the word HAIR and the number 88; convertible notch collar; breast pocket; welt flap pockets
Label Text:This jacket builds quite literally on the idea of denim as a blank canvas for self-expression. It was designed by Shail Upadhya, who was a fixture of the New York street style scene until his death in 2013. He was not a fashion designer in the traditional sense: Upadhya would buy blank fabric, ask an artist to paint a particular design, and then have a tailor construct the physical garment for him to wear. The design painted on this blazer plays on the aesthetic of artist Keith Haring.
Exhibitions:
- Asian Americans in New York Fashion: Design, Labor, Innovation
- Denim: Fashion’s Frontier