Jumpsuit

Katharine Hamnett

fall/winter 1993–94 · Lycra, metal · Costume Institute

Katharine Hamnett's irreverent trompe l'oeil (optical illusion) bodysuit carnivalizes classical notions of tailoring, masculinity, and seriousness by printing a men's striped suit and colorful tie onto a bodystocking. The body-conscious fit of the suit betrays the three-dimensional structure it projects; the childishness of the graphics undo the seriousness of the tailored men's suit. Hamnett's pioneering use of DIY aesthetics and iconoclastic design tactics have put her at the forefront of activist movements in fashion propelling sustainable and ethical production methods. She has used fashion design as a platform from which to tackle sociopolitical issues, in fashion and the world at large.

Artist

Katharine Hamnett

Date

fall/winter 1993–94

Medium

Lycra, metal

Culture

British

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Purchase, The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation Inc. Gift, 2019