← Steve Jobs

Fashion

10 entries, with sources

01

Issey Miyake Black Mock Turtleneck

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Issey Miyake·c. early 1980s–2011

Jobs turned Miyake's black mock turtleneck into a deliberate personal uniform that eliminated daily decision-making and became his visual signature. He personally commissioned about a hundred of them from Miyake after admiring Sony's Miyake-designed staff uniforms in Japan, and later showed Isaacson stacks of the tops in his closet, saying this was what he wore and that he had enough to last the rest of his life. The specific model later traced to archival sale listings was Miyake's Homme Plissé mock turtleneck from the Autumn/Winter 2008–2009 line, discontinued by Miyake after Jobs' death.

Isaacson's biography records Jobs' account of visiting Sony, admiring Miyake's staff uniforms, commissioning turtlenecks for himself, and physically showing Isaacson the stacked garments in his closet with the 'enough to last the rest of my life' remark. Obituaries and retrospectives on Miyake confirm he, not any other manufacturer, designed Jobs' turtlenecks, and that Miyake withdrew the model from circulation after Jobs died. Clothing-archive listings identify the specific garment as the Homme Plissé Issey Miyake AW2008–2009 mock turtleneck.

02

Levi's 501 Jeans

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Levi Strauss & Co.·c.1980-2011

Worn as the fixed lower half of his daily uniform from early product announcements through modern keynotes; Levi Strauss & Co. supplied him with fresh pairs directly on request in his later years.

Documented in Walter Isaacson's biography and confirmed by Levi Strauss & Co. corporate archives; former CEO John Anderson stated, 'Every year he would contact us for a supply of 501 jeans which we supplied,' and an authenticated mid-1980s pair was acquired for the company archive.

04

Lunor Round Frameless Spectacles

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Lunor·c.1998-2011

Favored after his return to Apple for their minimalist, frameless circular silhouette echoing John Lennon and Mahatma Gandhi, two of his personal heroes; became part of his fixed late-career visual identity.

Confirmed by German eyewear maker Lunor and the opticians who fitted Jobs; the model appears on the cover portrait of Walter Isaacson's biography, photographed by Albert Watson.

05

Sony Employee Uniform Jacket

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Issey Miyake for Sony·1981

Encountered by Jobs during a visit to Sony's Japan headquarters; he admired how the futuristic taupe ripstop-nylon jacket with zip-off sleeves bound employees to the company, prompting him to commission Miyake to design an equivalent Apple uniform.

Detailed in Walter Isaacson's biography from interviews with Jobs regarding his conversations with Sony co-founder Akio Morita and subsequent collaboration with Miyake.

06

Wilkes Bashford Leather Bomber Jacket

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Wilkes Bashford·c.1983

Purchased from the premier San Francisco luxury boutique, worn during his early-1980s Silicon Valley phase before he settled into his consistent black-and-denim uniform.

Worn in the celebrated December 1983 photograph of Jobs gesturing toward an IBM billboard on Madison Avenue; later cataloged and auctioned from his estate.

07

Versace Striped Button-Up Shirt

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Gianni Versace·c.1985-1988

Worn during off-site retreats and team sessions in the formation of NeXT, reflecting Jobs' affinity for high-end Italian tailoring in the mid-1980s before his later minimalism.

Documented in the 1986 PBS documentary 'Entrepreneurs' filmed during NeXT offsite meetings at Pebble Beach; authentic shirts and matching ties were cataloged from his Jackling House residence and sold via Julien's Auctions.

08

Seiko Chariot Watch (Ref. 6431-6030)

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Seiko·c.1984

Worn on his wrist in the iconic 1984 Norman Seeff portrait with the original Macintosh, its ultra-thin case and spare dial echoing the austere design language he applied to early Apple hardware.

Visible in the 1984 Norman Seeff portrait of Jobs seated cross-legged with the Macintosh; the physical watch, preserved by house manager Mark Sheff, was sold at auction in 2016.

09

Birkenstock Arizona Sandals

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Birkenstock·c.1970-1985

His staple footwear during Apple's founding years in Los Altos, reflecting his 1970s countercultural roots and preference for spartan, informal daily dress before he adopted a fixed uniform.

Recalled by early associates including Chrisann Brennan; an original pair worn by Jobs in the 1970s and 1980s was preserved by house manager Mark Sheff and later sold at Julien's Auctions.

10

Bespoke Brioni Suit

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Brioni·c.1985-1990

Said to have been worn during the founding era of NeXT Computer to project executive credibility to corporate and higher-education clients, though the specific attribution to Brioni is not clearly substantiated by contemporary sourcing.

Cited profiles reference Jobs wearing expensive bespoke Italian tailoring during the NeXT launch period, but the supporting citation actually discusses the Issey Miyake turtleneck story rather than Brioni specifically, leaving the brand attribution unconfirmed.