Vampire suit (detail)

Vampire suit (jacket and jeans), 1998. Cotton, lycra, and metal
Trench coat, 1998. Nylon, metal, and polyurethane
Tattoo shirt, 1994. Nylon
Belt, c. 1993. Metal
Chains, c. 1990. Metal and leather
Bag, 2000. Leather and metal

Tales of vampires have existed for centuries, but the first vampires in literature appeared in early Romantic poetry by Lord Byron and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The earliest book on the subject was The Vampyre, by John William Polidori, published in 1819. Inspired by this Gothic idea, Gaultier (known as the “enfant terrible” of fashion for his irreverent style) created the “Vampire Suit.” The black jean jacket and pants have red flocking, suggestive of dripping blood.