David Hockney’s genius for fashion

David Hockney’s look — trademark glasses, rugby shirts, trenchcoats and, memorably, a pair of yellow Crocs he wore to meet King Charles in 2022 — became as recognisable as his work. A self-portrait at 16 shows him in a blue coat, red scarf and yellow tie, already wearing strong statement spectacles.

He adopted a peroxide mop in the early 60s after seeing a Clairol advert proclaiming "blondes have more fun," and by the middle of the decade his round spectacles had replaced his NHS specs. Through the 70s and 80s the signature wardrobe arrived: rugby shirts, brightly coloured suits and perfectly crumpled trenchcoats.

He was even cited as having "become an artwork himself" and appeared on Vanity Fair’s Best Dressed List in 1986. Hockney documented his clothes in more than 300 self-portraits, showing him in red braces, a flat cap, a checked shirt or a tweed suit, often with a paintbrush or a cigarette.

United Kingdom

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