Basquiat (2022) Digital art by Geraldine Ragon
Key Points
Basquiat regularly painted in designer suits, turning fashion into performance.
He blended streetwear with high fashion long before it became a trend (or a marketing strategy).
Armani adored him. Comme des Garçons dressed him. Warhol documented him.
His style was never casual—it was pure instinct, visual poetry, a touch of punk.
His influence lives on—from runways to rap lyrics to the resale and collector’s market.
🎨 A Suit, Some Paint, and No Shoes: Dressing Like Basquiat
What do you wear to redefine the art world in your twenties? If you’re Jean-Michel Basquiat: an Armani suit, no socks, no shoes, and zero concern for dry cleaning.
On the cover of The New York Times Magazine in 1985, Basquiat reclines in a sharp Armani suit—one bare foot on the floor, the other perched casually on a chair, as if to say: “I own this room.” (Spoiler: he did.) Paint splatters are scattered across the fabric like accidental brushstrokes. It wasn’t just fashion. It was autobiography.
While the rest of the world fussed over shoulder pads and hairspray, Basquiat was crafting a look that screamed, “I’ll wear couture—only if I can ruin it.”
basquiat soundtracks (2023) Painting by Hector O'Kanin
From SAMO© to Sartorial Icon: The Basquiat Fit
Before the galleries, there were subway walls. Basquiat started out as half of the graffiti duo SAMO©, spraying cryptic messages across late-’70s New York. His style? Punk meets Bowery bum meets Kraftwerk alien. Leather jackets slipping off his shoulders, oversized ties worn like battle flags, hair that defied gravity.
As his art exploded, so did his fashion. But not in a polished, pristine way—Basquiat never “dressed up.” He dressed outside convention.
Outside the codes. Outside the rules.
A blazer here. A mismatched shirt there. A silk tie twisted off-center. Socks? Optional. Shoes? A maybe.
It wasn’t chaos. It was collage—just like his paintings: beauty and decay, luxury and provocation, structure and rupture.
Armani Approved This Message
“I design clothes to be lived in,” said Giorgio Armani. “And he certainly did.”
Basquiat didn’t just wear luxury suits—he painted in them, slept in them, made them live. He turned high fashion into function. Clothing into canvas. Garments into shields.
In 1987, he walked for Comme des Garçons in a pale blue suit, black sandals, white shirt and bow tie—floppy, defiant, like a visual joke. He wore Adidas tees with pinstripe pants like it was the most natural pairing in the world. (Today? It kind of is.)
Forget styling. Basquiat redefined the idea of style.
Portrait FRENCH SCHOOL Jean Michel BASQUIAT (2025) Painting by Bazévian Delacapucinière
Still Fashion’s Favorite Muse
Decades after his death, Basquiat remains fashion’s go-to reference for effortless cool. His face appears on Supreme tees. His art, on Reebok collabs. His name, dropped by Kanye, worn by Jay-Z, referenced by Frank Ocean.
At Milan Fashion Week, stylists scribble “Basquiat” next to crooked ties and rumpled jackets. Because no matter how sharp the cut, nothing says “streetwise genius” like a loose suit and paint on your collar.
And for collectors, this is more than aesthetic—it’s attitude. A constant refusal to separate art from life, or elegance from rebellion.
📮 Wanna Dress Like Basquiat? Here’s the Starter Pack:
One oversized suit (preferably Armani, but vintage works too).
A few paint splatters. Non-negotiable.
Tie it wrong. Shirt half untucked. The more it clashes, the better.
Shoes? Optional. Barefoot? Encouraged.
Hair that looks like it screams in all caps.
Confidence that enters the room before you do.
Now you’re ready. Or almost.
Discover artworks inspired by Basquiat
FAQ
Did he really paint in designer suits?
Yes. Intentionally. And they looked better with the paint.
Was his style planned or spontaneous?
Both. Like jazz, like poetry. Seemingly chaotic, perfectly harmonious.
Why does he still influence fashion today?
Because he made imperfection divine. And rebellion never goes out of style.
Can I dress like Basquiat?
Only if you promise to never iron anything. Ever.
So next time you’re staring at that wrinkled blazer, wondering if it pairs with your Adidas tee… just remember:
Basquiat did it first. And barefoot.
👞 Or maybe we should say… not at all.
Selena Mattei