Elizabeth Ilsley Makes The Leather Jacket Back-Prints Of Our Dreams

Elizabeth Ilsley Makes The Jacket Back-Prints Of Our Dreams

Thought Kim Kardashian's selfie-covered leather jacket was cool? You're about to be seriously schooled in the art of back-prints.

Birmingham-based painter and print maker Elizabeth Ilsley is taking the internet by storm with her bold and subversive designs - despite being just 21-years-old and in her final year of art school.

Speaking to The Huffington Post UK, Ilsley revealed her biker jacket paintings are all confessional pieces, inspired by thoughts and conversations she's had with lovers and friends.

"My work is all about empowering women and getting rid of taboos," she said.

Ilsley says she was first inspired to create her clothing prints after reading 'Just Kids' by Patti Smith and discovering the work of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.

"I fell in love with a particular photo of a man wearing a leather jacket covered in the names of his favourite bands of that punk era. So I decided to paint on my leather jacket for myself, put a photo up on Instagram and here I am!" she said.

The artist also told us her work has received a positive reaction from both women and men: "I don't want to alienate boys from my jackets so I've done jackets for [the band] Slaves and some male friends of mine."

What's next for Ilsley? Along with continuing to create custom leather jackets (email her to commission yours), she'll be exhibiting some of her favourite designs and releasing a book of her art prints.

Check out her most badass back-prints in our gallery below:

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