Michael Jackson: Fashion Retrospective
Michael Jackson was undoubtedly a singing legend, but his diverse fashionable look also influenced designers, trends, fans, fashion editors and stylists alike, ensuring his status as a style icon for many generations past and future. Ever since hearing the news of his death, (I was in the County Arm’s in Wandsworth, and I’m sure you can remember where you were), I have been told countless stories of The King of Pop’s influence over friends and family. It has been unreal hearing people reminisce: singing along to a Jackson Five hit when they were kids, endlessly trying to moonwalk with the same finesse as Michael and finally his influence over their fashion, leaving a great contribution to the world of style.
Just a few weeks ago I remember being amazed seeing Michael papped in Grazia, not for looking obscure or weird, but for donning one of the it items of this season, Balmain’s woman’s military jacket, ready for a doctors appointment at a Beverly Hills clinic. He was joining Beyoncé, other celebrities and supermodels in following the eighties trend that has appeared this season, but the look was nothing new for Jackson. Shoulder pads, military detail and crystal embellishments have all appeared in Jackson’s costumes over the years, and the ‘new’ Balmain look has borrowed much of what Jackson loved so much in the eighties. Some reviews of the Balmain S/S 09 collection suggested that it was influenced by the King of Pop himself, harking back to the 1980’s frogged jackets and crystal’s. The recent eighties trend provided a perfect environment for his comeback London tour, which was due to start on July 13th, just two weeks from today, as his costumes would have been more fashionable and relevant than ever. Elleuk posted a news feed declaring that just hours before his death, Swarovski announced a collaboration with Michael with the costumes on his tour!
Apart from Michael’s uniform of embellished jackets, there have been other iconic fashion statements – who could forget the rhinestone studded glove which first featured in ‘Billie Jean’? This idiosyncratic style was amplified by MTV, who chose Michael to be their first ever black artist to appear on the show. Teenagers all over the world wanted what he had, and wore single white gloves to school, but it was not only kid’s that were influenced, even Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld featured white gloves on the runway. Aviators were also thrust into the limelight by Michael, who was frequently seen in a mirrored pair. No longer were they reserved for pilots and they became a huge hit.
Michael Jackson stood out from the crowd for his constant originality and creativity in fashion. This is what made him a fashion icon and why he became so influential in the way many of us dressed – we all wanted a bit of what he had. From his bell bottoms as a child star to his military inspired suits, his fashion statements are etched into our memory: no matter your personal opinion of the star, it is undeniable that he has driven fashion and the way we dress to a whole new level.
Loading ...