AW03 was a masterpiece in showcasing a visually charged rendition of a variety of influences with the unifying tailoring and craftsmanship associated with the designs. This season evolved his pioneering military inspirations into overt homages to items like aviator pressure suits complete with corset-lacing and safety belt style harnesses reframed as bondage in his avant-garde world of razor-sharp tailoring and sexually charged refinement.
Despite the ambitious and saturated visuals, the entire collection maintains a complete cohesiveness only Helmut Lang could achieve, striking a perfect balance with the clean minimalism he's known for. This collection paved the way for contemporary fashion. With iconic items from AW03 being referred to in museums and design studios, its influence and relevance reaches far even today.
This is one of the most detailed and unique iterations of the famed aviator pieces. Compared to other iterations, this had much more organic patterning and layering, with a number of open slits that can be styled with chaps as originally presented in Arena Homme's iconic 10 year Helmut Lang retrospective in 2003.
