Michael Jackson’s iconic white glove wasn’t just for fashion: "He was beginning to develop..."
In the world of pop culture, few accessories are as legendary as Michael Jackson's single white glove. The King of Pop, known for his groundbreaking music and electrifying performances, turned this simple fashion statement into an iconic symbol. But why did he choose to wear just one glove? According to The Mirror, late actor Cicely Tyson, who shared a fashion designer with Jackson in the 1980s, revealed that the glove was initially designed to help him cope with the early stages of vitiligo. Tyson recalled, "All of a sudden, [my designer] said to me, 'I'm doing this glove for Michael.' Well, Michael was beginning to develop the vitiligo and it started on his hand." Jackson himself hinted at the aesthetic appeal of the choice. As The Independent reported, he once stated, "I felt that one glove was cool… wearing two gloves seemed so ordinary."
According to Express, the history of the glove can be traced back to 1983, when Jackson first wore it during the legendary 'Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever' TV special. It was during this performance that he debuted the moonwalk, and the sparkling glove became a focal point of his outfit, dazzling audiences worldwide. Adding another layer to the story, Express reported that 'John Kehe,' Monitor's design director, claimed to be an eyewitness to Michael’s decision to wear a single glove after seeing another man wearing one for technical reasons. John was designing the music video for 'Can You Feel It,' Michael’s song with the reunited 'The Jacksons.'
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Michael met John for a meeting at the production facilities of Robert Abel & Associates, where he saw a man wearing a single white glove while scanning through the film. John recounted, “Rick [Ross, the chief film editor] was wearing a short white cotton glove on his left hand as he ran the film through his fingers, looking for the yellow grease pencil marks he had made on various frames of film to be edited. To have a little green box of these disposable gloves sitting on the editing bench was standard practice for film editors in those days. Michael, who hadn't shown any particular enthusiasm for the tour so far, seemed suddenly transfixed by the glove and politely asked a number of questions about it, concluding with, ‘Could you spare one?’ But of course. The rest, they say, is history," he concluded.
The glove became a part of Jackson's signature look during the Billie Jean era, where he dazzled audiences with his moonwalk while donning the sparkling accessory. Jackson's friend and fashion designer, Michael Bush, who had been working with Jackson for over 25 years, told Rolling Stone, "MJ said, 'I'll wear one and make them pay attention." Bush was responsible for crafting some of Jackson’s most iconic looks, including the sequined military jackets and, of course, the famous glove. Even after Jackson's passing, the glove remains a coveted piece of memorabilia. In 2009, one of his gloves was auctioned for $350,000, a testament to its cultural significance, as per Reuters.
