Style Icon: Basquiat
Before his untimely death in 1988, Jean Michel Basquiat had the world at his feet. Unquestionably talented in a variety of artistic fields, he had Andy Warhol on speed dial and enviable good looks – not to mention being one hell of a snappy dresser.
His relatively short career straddled art, music, literature and fashion, he was the ultimate modern art star. Even today East London is full of street art and illustration exhibitions that bear the influence of his work, and his personal style is a recurrent inspiration to stylists and designers internationally, for example Walter Van Bierendonck’s AW11 collection shown in Paris earlier this year. It has Basquiat’s style written all over it. From the black models in textured, patterned tailoring and bow-ties to the Haitian voodoo style makeup.
No stranger to the catwalk himself, Basquiat was close friends with Commes Des Garcons mistress Rei Kawakubo and walked in one of her shows. Commes des Garcons’ suits, along with Armani, were the artist’s wardrobe staples which he made his own by customising with graffiti.
Basquiat’s sartorial flair is often referred to as ‘regal’ but, more significantly, there is both an intellectual and a street quality to it: part Harvard lecturer, part African prince, part New York street kid. We celebrate some of his finest fashion moments.
