Size IT 38: Best for a Women's UK 6/US 2 or a UK 8/US 4.

Helmut Lang brown denim jacket from A/W 2000-2001. In excellent used condition. Made in Italy.

In 1996, Helmut Lang was offered the job of head designer at Balenciaga. 'It’s about America. It’s not about couture', he famously stated after rejecting the maison's proposal. Indeed, Lang had an enduring fascination with American workwear and particularly its most iconic identifier, denim. Jean jackets were a strong source of inspiration for the Austrian designer, who created countless designs citing their distinctive workwear heritage. In turn, fashion critics have widely acknowledged that his innovative approach was catalytic in the transformation of classic jeans to covetable high fashion items.

This jacket is Lang's 'Simple 2 Pocket' design, a streamlined form loosely based on Levi's 557XX jacket from the early 1960's. Like the original, the jacket features two chest pockets with traditionalist triangular flaps and stitching. At the same time, the designer has reduced the number of panels on the torso, lending a refined minimalism to the piece. The streamlined aesthetic of the piece is given substance by its heavy raw denim fabric. The colour is a beautiful medium brown with some natural fading. The silhouette is timelessly sharp with a semi-fitted straight body and high armholes that give definition to the shoulders. A distinctive point collar and waist tabs complete the design.

The construction of this piece is excellent and hard-wearing like all Helmut Lang denim garments. Precise lines and absolute symmetry highlight the designer's attention-to-detail, while honouring the design's traditional workwear origins. On the inside, flat-fell seams protect the interior from undesirable fraying while making the jacket reversible and indestructible. The hardware has a matte silver finish and is engraved with the Helmut Lang logo. Tonal brown thread has been used throughout for a cleaner look.

Sophisticated and unembellished, this jacket is a classic example of Helmut Lang's transformative experiments with American workwear. Its timeless aesthetic, unconventional colour and sturdy construction will make it one of your favourite go-to casual jackets. Strongly recommended. 

The modelled product photos are property of FarFetch.