Medium: Black wool gabardine,striped velveteen, tassels, brass

Date: 1988

Country: France

Credit: Museum purchase

This jacket (worn with pants) underscores Jean-Paul Gaultier's mastery of fusing formality and playful irreverence. While the jacket appears simple from the front, a distinctly non-traditional, boldly striped, velvet fabric was chosen for the back. The velvet is adorned with heraldic motifs, both authentic and invented. Fleurs de lis are combined with Gaultier's own insignia, including his monogram and the phrase, "too fast to live, too young to die." Large tassels add motion and dimension, while metal grommets allude to Gaultier's Punk and streetwear sensibility.

Object Number: P88.76.4