Clean Up or Die

Not on display

Artist/Maker	Katharine Hamnett (designer)
Place of origin	England (made)

Black leather woman's jacket with metal studwork embellishing the entire surface.

Object details

Categories	Womenswear Fashion Leather
Object type	Jacket
Title	Clean Up or Die (named collection)
Materials and techniques	Leather with metal studwork Leather Metal
Brief description	Black leather woman's jacket 'Clean Up or Die' with metal studwork, designed by Katherine Hamnett, England, 1989
Physical description	Black leather woman's jacket with metal studwork embellishing the entire surface.
Gallery label	(1990) LADY'S OUTFIT, "CLEAN UP OR DIE" Designed by Katharine Hamnett (British) Studded leather jacket, stretch velvet catsuit and top 1990 Given by Katharine Hamnett T.209 to b-1990 MAN'S OUTFIT, "CLEAN UP OR DIE" Designed by Katharine Hamnett (British) Studded leather jacket and trousers with cotton T-shirt 1990 Given by Katharine Hamnett T.208 to c-1990 Katharine Hamnett believes that she stands alone "against the rise in fascist dressing". Her work has been described as an exercise in radical chic. Irreverent political views and an instinct for bucking the establishment have made her famous and turned a tiny pre-washed cottons business, started with a £500 loan in 1979, into a hugely successful global operation. While solidly positioned in the avant garde, Hamnett's work is steeped in nostalgia. School uniforms, sixties starlets and rockers have always been her inspiration, while her slogan T-shirts bring us back to the days of Woodstock and Vietnam war sit-ins. Her latest winter collection, with the slogan "Clean Up or Die" studded on the backs of leather bikers jackets, is characteristically quotable, pithy and sexy. The jackets are richly embellished, the entire surface covered with trinkets and charms, endowing and protecting the wearer, like amulets for battle. The man's outfit features classic Hamnett slogan T-shirt and skull and cross-bone belt buckle. The lady's lush velour catsuit is soft and slinky, clinging to every curve and looks appropriate for an acrobat or trapeze artiste. She is wearing a matching "James Bond" top, a characteristic reference by Hamnett to popular modern culture.
Credit line	Given by the designer
Object history	Registered File number 1990/873. Part of an outfit T.209 to D-1990.
Production	Autumn / Winter 'Clean Up or Die' collection 1989
Collection	Textiles and Fashion Collection
Accession number	T.209-1990

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Record created	June 24, 2009
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O320506/clean-up-or-die-jacket-katharine-hamnett/

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