One of the most iconic pieces of the 21st century. One of the last stone bondage MA-1's, new with tags and original hanger in the most accessible size 46, and even including the removable sleeve attachment from the runway. Other details include back panel attachment, removable hand straps, and light padding with cupro lined sleeves.

10/10 condition, brand new with tags. Even better condition than the one in the Met Museum 45cm
Pit to Pit: 52cm
Waist: 43cm
Front Length: 51cm
Back Length from bottom collar: 60cm
Back Panel: 24cm
Sleeve Length: 64cm

Hafeez's Postlude

A truly, truly remarkable item from the Autumn/Winter 2003 collection. It is often that Helmut Lang takes my breath away, but even so there are cases when he completely shatters my understanding of his ability and my perceptionof a certain garment; this MA-1 is one of those cases.

Lang has transformed the rugged, somewhat hawkish nature of the MA-1 into a carnal, intricate and delicate garment with a few simple deliberations. The body of the MA-1 when subtracting all the applications is the most standard Lang did. It was released in Navy, Army Green and Black but the Stone Creamseems to be the most fitting in my eyes; it is subtle and enticing, a perfect compliment to the sexually charged bondage-inspired applications. The asymmetric shoulder sleeve detail is perhaps the most notable and unique element of this jacket, almost resembling armour. In contention to this resemblance however is the delicate nature of the cotton fabric the sleeve is composited out of; the balance Lang has found between violence, sensuality and subtlety is remarkable and convincingly beautiful.

The relationship between beauty and violence is something that is stuck in my mind like a dagger ever since I first began looking into Lang's work, especially those shows incorporating these bondage and military elements. I read in an article about Jun Takahashi's Undercover where he says“The combination [of beauty and violence] is something that gives it real beauty. I am not denying beauty, but presenting it in a different light.”, this summation seems to me very apt. Although, most of Takahashi's work seems a bit difficult to link with Lang's I think this thought applies all the same. It is something that Lang seemingly understands very well, there is a very quiet violence a lot of clothes exude and none I think more represent that quiet violence more so than this jacket.