1998 Heavy Raw Denim Classic 2 Pocket Jacket
Size IT 42: Best for an IT 44 - 34 Chest - XS, a slim IT 46 - 36 Chest - S, a Women's UK 12/US 8 or a UK 10/US 6.
Helmut Lang classic raw denim jacket from A/W 1998-1999. In brand new condition with partial tags. Made in Italy.
'It's what a jean jacket should feel like. The sleeves are slender, the armholes are high, its trim above the waist, and I feel perfectly enveloped by it. As long as I maintain a certain number of gym visits, I'll be able to wear it for years to come.'
- Bruce Pask (Bergdorf Goodman men's fashion director) in GQ, July 2015
In 1996, Helmut Lang was offered the job of head designer at Balenciaga. 'It’s about America. It’s not about couture', he famously stated after rejecting the maison's proposal. Indeed, Lang had an enduring fascination with American workwear and particularly its most iconic identifier, denim. Jean jackets were a strong source of inspiration for the Austrian designer, who created countless designs citing their distinctive workwear heritage. In turn, fashion critics have widely acknowledged that his innovative approach was catalytic in the transformation of classic jeans to covetable high fashion items.
This jacket features Lang's 'Classic 2 Pocket' design, based on Levi's 557XX jacket from the early 1960's. Like the original, the jacket has a panelled torso construction with two chest pockets. The purist and streamlined aesthetic of the piece is given substance by its heavy raw denim fabric. The material is substantial and extremely structured, giving a sculptural quality to the jacket. Its colour is Lang's signature deep desaturated indigo. The silhouette is timelessly sharp with a semi-fitted straight body and high armholes that give definition to the shoulders. A distinctive point collar and waist tabs complete the design.
The construction of this piece is excellent and hard-wearing like all Helmut Lang denim garments. Precise lines and absolute symmetry highlight the designer's attention-to-detail, while honouring the design's traditional workwear origins. On the inside, flat-fell seams protect the interior from undesirable fraying while making the jacket reversible and indestructible. The hardware has a matte silver finish and is engraved with the Helmut Lang logo. Furthermore, selected details such as the buttonholes are sewn with black instead of orange thread to achieve a cleaner look.
Overall, this jacket is a beautiful example of Lang's supremely executed denim jackets. Its precise silhouette, sturdy construction and masterfully thought-out detailing set it miles apart from ordinary denim jackets. It will certainly become one of your favourite casual pieces that will be cherished for years to come.
The modelled product photos are property of FarFetch.