MICHAEL JACKSON 

In 1987, in the period between the Victory Tour and the release of the album *Bad*, Michael Jackson embarked on a structural overhaul of his visual language. The image became an autonomous system, designed for global distribution. The partnership with Pepsi was part of this dynamic and gave rise to a series of scripted productions with strong cinematic ambition (The Magic Begins, The Chase, The Chopper, The Finale), conceived as complete narrative units straddling the line between music video and advertising.

In this context, the wardrobe adopted a codified military style: structured black jackets, surfaces saturated with sequins, gold braiding and red accents. This vocabulary extended the visual framework of Thriller, reorienting it towards an aesthetic of signalling and movement control.

The jacket presented is a fitted military-cut piece, entirely covered in black sequins. It fastens with ten gold metal buttons and features a vertical construction that emphasises the silhouette. The right shoulder is structured by a twisted gold braid, introducing an asymmetry characteristic of Michael Jackson’s performance costumes in the late 1980s. The cuffs and a red satin armband introduce a chromatic contrast that is immediately apparent in motion. A circular brooch set with rhinestones (approx. 2.5 cm) features on the left front. Absence of a manufacturer’s label, consistent with a bespoke or production piece.

The inside bears two inscriptions in silver felt-tip pen: “002 MJJ 87” and “PROTO 2”. These markings suggest an internal classification system for prototypes dating from 1987 within Michael Jackson’s costume design environment, reflecting a series of trials distinct from industrial standards.

The item comes from the collection of Dr Arnold Klein, Michael Jackson’s personal dermatologist and close friend. He states that he received several items of personal clothing directly from Michael Jackson.  A letter of provenance signed by Dr Arnold Klein, detailing this information, will be provided to the buyer.

A second certificate, also provided to the buyer, is issued by Keith Holman of Holman Harper Designs, a former collaborator of Bill Whitten, the designer of Michael Jackson’s iconic costumes. The document links the item to the collection of prototypes developed for the 1987 Pepsi music video.

The jacket’s construction remains consistent with the visual vocabulary of the 1987–1988 period: military-style structure, asymmetrical decorative hierarchy, a profusion of reflective surfaces, and black/gold/red contrasts. It thus forms part of the collection of costumes associated with the transition from the Bad to the Pepsi era.

The “PROTO 2” jacket should be understood as a working prototype from the design phase of Michael Jackson’s sartorial language in the late 1980s. Its value lies in the convergence of three independent elements: provenance from his personal entourage, corroboration from Bill Whitten’s former collaborator, and internal markings consistent with a prototyping process dating from 1987. It falls into the category of laboratory objects within Michael Jackson’s iconography, where the interest lies as much in the process of image creation as in its final result.

Items at the prototype stage within Michael Jackson’s sartorial universe constitute a structurally rare category, situated between finalised stage costumes, pieces from audiovisual productions, and development items from the creative workshops. When they combine provenance, written attestation and internal markings, they belong to a restricted segment of the market for the artist’s artefacts.