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A "Thriller" jacket worn by Michael Jackson during tour rehearsals, autographed by Jackson, director John Landis and his wife, costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis. This jacket was displayed for 12 years as one of the most significant items at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, where it was viewed and admired by fans from around the world.
Jackson originally donated thisThriller jacket, worn by him during tour rehearsals, to entertainment manager and fundraiser Ken Kragen for a USA for Africa Foundation auction charity in the 1990s. Kragen is best known for helping organise the "We Are the World" charity single, which was written by Jackson and Lionel Richie.
A collaboration between Jackson and Landis, the video for "Thriller" was a 14-minute short film which changed how people viewed music videos. It doubled the sales of Jackson's Thriller album, making it the best-selling record in history, and transformed the singer into a global superstar. But there was one particular aspect of the video that fans really went wild for.
Designed by Deborah Nadoolman Landis and made by Marc Laurent, the distinctive red-and-black leather jacket worn by Jackson is one of the most recognisable and coveted pieces of clothing in pop-culture history. Against the muted tones of the creepy setting and background zombie dancers, the vibrant red and altered silhouette of Jackson's attire captured everyone's attention, sparking a new fashion trend, with many copies and variations flooding the market.
The legacy of Jackson's "Thriller" jacket was cemented by his subsequent tours, for which Michael Bush and Dennis Tompkins, his personal costume designers and dressers, themselves produced several recreations of the garment.
The jacket is made of red leather with decorative black leather strips forming a "V" shape on the front and back, which emphasises the extended shoulders. The sleeve cuffs and waistband also display black strips. The garment features trapunto stitching on the collar and shoulders, metal D-rings on the cuffs and several red-coloured poppers.
One side of the chest is autographed in black ink by Jackson. Inside the garment is a "Marc Laurent Paris" label sewn onto a rectangular red-and-black leather piece. The jacket's lining is also autographed in black ink by John Landis and Deborah Nadoolman Landis. There are minor marks on the sleeves, some small loose threads, and the ink on the lining fabric has bled slightly in places. Despite signs of light wear from previous use during the tour rehearsals, the jacket remains in excellent overall condition, considering its age. The jacket is accompanied by a scan of a letter from Michael Jackson Productions, signed by Michael Jackson, dated June 25 1990, confirming provenance. In the letter, Jackson explains that the signed Thriller jacket enclosed is for Ken Kragen's upcoming auction and that it was worn during tour rehearsals. The original letter was mislaid during the last transfer of ownership and its absence has only come to light at the conclusion of the jacket's exhibition at the Grammy Museum.
The autographs in this lot have been professionally authenticated by expert Garry King; see notice in the Buyer's Guide.
Estimate: £150,000 - 300,000 Ω
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