In Photos: Michael Jackson’s Fashion History

The floral shirt, the zany patterned jacket and tight trousers all scream seventies. This picture of Michael Jackson, taken in 1972, could have come straight from Gucci designer Alessandro Michele’s moodboard for the past few seasons. Unashamedly clashing patterns featured on the catwalks of Versace and Dries van Noten during the most recent round of menswear shows, too.
Photograph: Michael Putland/Getty Images

Wearing suits that look as if they were inspired by Skittles, the Jackson Five are photographed here in 1975. It’s a get-up that would win them fashion-favor today – there’s been a rainbow of zingy Crayola colors on catwalks in recent years, from Virgil Abloh’s recent first offering for Louis Vuitton to Balenciaga and Molly Goddard. Colorful tailoring is very much in favor, too – look to next spring’s offerings from Acne Studios and Dries van Noten for details.
Photograph: Fin Costello/Redferns

It was the summer of ’79 and Jackson wore a Hawaiian-print shirt to an event to celebrate the Jacksons’ gold records. It’s a look that’s been ubiquitous in recent times – in 2017 Hawaiian shirts were the headline news in menswear and could be found everywhere, from Balenciaga to Gap. In the most recent round of shows, there’s been no shying away from tropical prints either.
Photograph: John T Barr/Getty Images