Wild at Heart | Jeanette for St. Martin Sequin Leopard Moto Jacket
Equal parts glamour and rebellion, this extraordinary vintage Jeanette for St. Martin jacket takes the classic motorcycle silhouette and transforms it into something altogether more decadent.
The richly embroidered leopard-patterned ground is scattered with hundreds of glossy black sequins, creating a dimensional surface that catches the light with every movement. Heavy antiqued brass-tone zippers slice across the front in true moto-jacket fashion, while strong shoulders and a cropped silhouette give the piece 1980s attitude.
At the sides, adjustable belt tabs with D-ring hardware can be tightened to cinch the waist, dramatically changing the silhouette from relaxed to sharply defined. Even the sleeves are finished with functional zipper detailing, an unexpected counterpoint to all that shimmer.
Why We Love It
It is unapologetic, glamorous, a little dangerous— There is something irresistible about a piece that refuses to choose between tough and glamorous. The proportions are borrowed from a biker jacket, but instead of leather, Jeanette for St. Martin covered the entire surface in embroidered leopard pattern and sequins.
Details
Jeanette for St. Martin
Vintage size: Small
Leopard-pattern embroidered textile
Allover black sequin embellishment
Asymmetrical moto-style front zipper
Antiqued brass-tone heavy zipper hardware
Zippered front pockets
Zipper detail at sleeves
Adjustable side waist tabs with D-ring hardware
Structured shoulder pads
Black satin lining
Cropped silhouette
Measurements
Shoulders: 18 inches
Pit to pit: 20 inches
Sleeve: 23 inches
Length: 19 inches
Condition - Good
Collector’s Notes
Jeanette Kastenberg emerged in the mid-1980s as a designer with an unmistakable instinct for exuberance. Born in 1963, she studied at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology beginning in 1983 and, after graduating, quickly became the sole designer behind Jeanette for St. Martin. By the 1990s, she had launched her own ready-to-wear collection under the name Jeanette. The Museum of Arts and Design holds examples of her work in its permanent collection, including pieces from 1992.
Her designs are immediately recognizable for their sense of joy and theatricality: lavish sequins, bold surface decoration, novelty motifs, dramatic proportions, and pieces intended to command attention rather than quietly complete an outfit. Contemporary press captured that spirit early. In 1990, The Washington Post described Kastenberg presenting her “sparkling funwear” while dressed in a silver sequin catsuit and matching cap—an image that feels perfectly in keeping with the unapologetic glamour of her work.
The label also has legitimate fashion-history provenance beyond the resale market. Christie’s has catalogued a fully sequined Jeanette for St. Martin dress, while the Museum of Arts and Design preserves Kastenberg’s work as part of its design collection.