After seeing this cap on a second-hand online store, I quickly snaffled it as soon as I’d identified it as belonging to Jean Paul Gaultier’s Russian Constructivism collection from the Russian Constructivist Collection of Fall/Winter 1986-87.
It reminded me of the caps horse jockeys wear, and after seeing a reversible waistcoat from the same collection, I wondered whether part of this collection was inspired by the silks and colours used in horse racing. The tradition of racing silks began in England, with colours and various shapes used to represent a horse’s owner and to help race commentators and spectators easily differentiate between racehorses.
This reversible zip-front waistcoat of blue and black striped satin and black felted wool is stunning with its slightly cropped, structured silhouette and metallic appliqués, including Roman numerals and stylised Cyrillic-inspired characters, all of which contribute to a bold, Constructivist-inspired aesthetic. Having the option to hide all that detail by reversing the waistcoat seems crazy. Still, the simplicity of the vivid royal blue stripes, with a slight sheen, gives them a satin-like, luminous appearance against the darker contrasting stripes.
In the Hermes Fall/Winter 2025 men’s collection, Véronique Nichanian turned to the racetrack for inspiration with sweaters sporting bold chevrons and geometric patterns lifted directly from the vibrant stripes of jockeys’ racing silks.
A Jean Paul Gaultier men’s sweater and reversible waistcoat, from the ‘Russian Constructivist collection of Autumn/Winter collection of 1986-87. Photo used with permission from Kerry Taylor Auctions
Was That Martin Margiela at Jean Paul Gaultier’s The Russian Constructivist Show?
If you head over to YouTube, you can watch Loïc Prigent’s fashion documentary, Jean Paul Gaultier Raconte 1986! which features a rare cameo from the reclusive (to the point of people doubting his existence) Martin Margiela. Margiela, as Gaultier’s assistant at the time, joined other members of the Gaultier studio in the tradition of walking alongside the models.
In the documentary, a tall figure takes to the runway wearing a version of the cap above, a leather jacket, and the biggest, shiniest belt buckle you’ve ever seen. Gaultier cheekily asks, “Should I say who it is? I won’t…” “Is he well known?” inquires Prigent. “Yes, but not his face,” replies Gaultier.