BS BULLETIN:
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Michael Jackson’s original red-and-black Thriller jacket will be auctioned December 7 in Abu Dhabi.
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The jacket sold for $1.8 million in 2011, but auction executive Martin Nolan believes it could now bring more than $10 million.
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Jackson’s famous rhinestone glove and shoes associated with his legendary 1983 moonwalk are also going under the hammer.
Michael Jackson’s most famous jacket is returning to the auction block, and this time the price could be scarier than anything in the Thriller music video.
The red-and-black leather jacket Jackson wore in his groundbreaking 1983 video is expected to fetch more than $10 million when Julien’s Auctions offers it for sale December 7 in Abu Dhabi.
That’s quite a jump for a jacket that last sold for $1.8 million in 2011.
Martin Nolan, co-founder and executive director of Julien’s Auctions, believes the garment’s place in music history could push bidding into eight figures.
Pop culture history is coming to Abu Dhabi.
This December, we are honored to bring four extraordinary Michael Jackson artifacts to the auction block as part of Celebrity & Pop Culture Experience at Rosewood Abu Dhabi, including the iconic “Thriller” music video jacket and loafers, alongside the rhinestone-studded glove and loafers worn during Motown 25 — the very performance that introduced the Moonwalk to the world.
Four pieces. Two defining moments. One extraordinary chapter in music, fashion and pop culture history.
December 7 | Rosewood Abu Dhabi
Register to bid now.https://t.co/u9yweHHfja
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تاريخ الثقافة الشعبية يحطّ رحاله في أبوظبي.
في ديسمبر المقبل، نتشرّف بتقديم أربع قطع استثنائية من مقتنيات مايكل جاكسون في مزاد علني، ضمن «تجربة المشاهير والثقافة الشعبية» في روزوود أبوظبي.
وتشمل هذه القطع سترة وحذاء اللوفر الأيقونيين اللذين ارتداهما مايكل جاكسون في الفيديو الموسيقي الشهير «Thriller»، إلى جانب القفاز المرصّع بأحجار الراين وحذاء اللوفر اللذين ارتداهما خلال عرض «Motown 25» الأسطوري — العرض الذي قدّم فيه رقصة الـ«Moonwalk» للعالم للمرة الأولى.
أربع قطع. لحظتان صنعتا التاريخ. وفصل استثنائي في تاريخ الموسيقى والموضة والثقافة الشعبية.
7 ديسمبر | روزوود أبوظبي
سجّل الآن للمشاركة في المزاد.#JuliensAuctions #MichaelJackson #AbuDhabi #Motown #Thriller
— Julien’s Auctions (@JuliensAuctions) October 7, 2026
The jacket is one of only two originals created for the Thriller production by costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis. Jackson wore this particular jacket during scenes in which he wasn’t dressed in zombie makeup.
The other jacket, used for the transformation sequences, is held by Jackson’s estate and has been displayed at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
But there’s something else that makes the auctioned jacket special. Jackson personally signed it for longtime costume designers Michael Bush and Dennis Tompkins, who helped create his distinctive stage wardrobe.
The inside lining bears the inscription: “To Bush and Dennis All My Love Michael Jackson.” The sleeve carries another signature: “Love Michael Jackson.”
And the jacket isn’t the only piece of pop history looking for a wealthy new owner.
Julien’s is also offering Jackson’s famous rhinestone-covered white glove from his 1983 Motown 25 television performance, when he introduced millions of viewers to the moonwalk. The glove is estimated to bring between $600,000 and $800,000.
Two pairs of Jackson’s loafers, including footwear connected to his performances of Billie Jean and Thriller, will also be offered.
The auction, called Michael Jackson: The Fashion Legacy, will take place at the Rosewood Abu Dhabi hotel as part of a three-day celebrity memorabilia event.
Nolan says Jackson’s enduring popularity, particularly among younger fans discovering his music, has helped drive demand for rare memorabilia.
The auction executive has compared the jacket’s potential value with other extraordinary collectibles, including Michael Jordan’s game-worn basketball jersey and the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.
Still, the $10 million figure is an expectation, not a guaranteed sale price. Julien’s has not publicly listed a formal estimate for the jacket, making the final hammer price anyone’s guess.
One thing is certain: More than four decades after Jackson first danced across television screens in that unmistakable red leather, somebody is preparing to spend a fortune to own a piece of the moment.
And unlike most 1980s fashion, this one appears to be getting more expensive with age.
MY QUICK TAKE
Ten million dollars for a jacket?
I remember when the biggest financial mistake you could make in the 1980s was buying a Members Only jacket in the wrong color.
But this is Michael Jackson’s Thriller jacket. One of the most recognizable outfits in entertainment history. The real thriller will be watching two billionaires fight over it while the rest of us remember buying the album for $8.99.
