For his Spring Summer 2004 collection, Helmut Lang focused on the concept of dragonflies. The species aligned itself perfectly with the designer's affinity for the juxtaposed. Beautiful yet ugly, rugged yet fragile, agile yet limited. These elements are interpreted artfully through many of the pieces showcased in this production. One of the most notable and successful examples of this, is the designer's take on the classic biker jacket. Through his conceptual framework, Lang employed elements of the dragonfly and translated them to a wearable and distinct garment ready for the modern world. Straps as appendages and cutouts as necessary adornment; are these elements functional or simply for decoration? The jacket exists in these two worlds simultaneously and composes itself similarly to the concept that it directly references.
The jacket is constructed in a high quality polished leather lined in cotton with the internal cutout elements composed of cotton jersey. Hardware is rendered in matching gunmetal with pulls and supplemental elements in black twill tape. 3 YBS zippers accompany the garment on the sleeves and as the central closure. It runs in an asymmetrical manner, as the jacket zips from the center left up into the right shoulder. There is one interior pocket with no pockets featured on the exterior. 2 cotton twill straps are featured on a leather "backplate" element of the garment. Vented and articulated sleeves are featured on both sides with breathable elements showcased around the armpit areas. Most notably, the two cutouts made in cotton jersey run as the sleeve lining of the garment and are affixed/showcased through the front elbow area.
A very rare garment in terms of size and scarcity.
