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Michael Jackson's wire-rig jacket from Pepsi's "The Chase" commercial, released in 1987. The Pepsi commercial was filmed soon after the release of the pop star's hit single "Bad", with a Pepsi-themed remix of the song used as the soundtrack. Split into four parts, the advert shows Jackson performing on stage and attempting to leave the arena while being mobbed by paparazzi and fans. It features action-packed sequences, including a ski jump. Different versions of Jackson's outfit were created for specific shots, with this one produced for stunt sequences that involved a wire rig. The jacket originally came from the collection of Jackson's personal costume designers Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush, which was auctioned in 2012.
The black woollen double-breasted jacket features a red armband on the right sleeve, buckled leather straps on the right shoulder, and a gold bullion style embroidered crown emblem on the chest. It retains its original Western Costume Co. label inside the interior pocket, which features Jackson's name and the word "Rigged" typewritten in black. The label also displays "2242-I" and the handwritten word "Big". There are intentional slits on the shoulder seams and lower down on the side seams (on both the exterior and lining) to allow a harness and wires to be attached to Jackson. One of the slits on the shoulder and one on the side seam has been hand stitched closed. The stitching along the bottom hem on the lining has come undone in places and there is some minor fraying around the edges of the embroidered emblem.
Additional Provenance:
Lot 721, Julien's The Collection of Tompkins and Bush: Michael Jackson Auction, 2nd December 2012
Estimate: £25,000 - 50,000 M
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