$10million thriller! Michael Jackson's jacket goes up for sale

It is perhaps the most recognisable item of clothing in pop music.

And now the black and red jacket worn by Michael Jackson as he danced with zombies in the 1983 music video for Thriller can be yours – though the price tag might make you start to freeze.

The calf-leather jacket is expected to break records for music memorabilia when it goes under the hammer at Julien's Auctions in Los Angeles in December. A source indicated it was expected to sell for 'upwards of $10million [£7.6million]'.

It could even break the overall record for an item of music memorabilia, the $14.55million paid for Pink Floyd legend David Gilmour's 'Black Strat' guitar this year.

The scarlet garment features silver buckles at the cuffs, a red silk lining, a trapunto-stitched collar, a snap-front fastening and the distinctive winged shoulders. A 'Marc Laurent Paris' label is present inside.

The jacket is one of two made for the Thriller video. The other was deliberately shredded and distressed for scenes in which Jackson appears as a zombie. 

That version is retained by his estate and has been displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This is the only one worn by Jackson in the sections of the video in which he does not have zombie make-up.

Its distinctive design was conceived by costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis, who wanted to emphasise Jackson's physique through exaggerated shoulders and the now-famous V-shaped silhouette.

The red is expected to break records for music memorabilia when it goes under the hammer at Julien's Auctions in Los Angeles in December. A source indicated it was expected to sell for 'upwards of $10million [£7.6million]'

The jacket is one of two made for the Thriller video. The other was deliberately shredded and distressed for scenes in which Jackson appears as a zombie

Jackson's long-time costume designers Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush were later asked to create variations of the jacket for his live performances.

Bush has said Jackson brought the original jacket to him and Tompkins and asked them to make a pattern from it so they could reproduce the look for future tours.

Jackson reportedly believed the process would require the original to be destroyed. 

Instead, the designers managed to make a pattern without damaging it, and Jackson gave them the jacket as a gesture of thanks, adding personal inscriptions.

As a result, the lining is inscribed in black marker: 'To Bush and Dennis All My Love Michael Jackson,' while the sleeve is also signed: 'Love Michael Jackson.'

Tompkins and Bush went on to create increasingly elaborate versions for subsequent tours, culminating in a glow-in-the-dark flashing design intended to maximise its impact in stadiums.

The Thriller single and its accompanying short film became cultural landmarks, helping to transform the music video into a more cinematic form.

Its accompanying album, also called Thriller, won a record eight Grammy Awards in 1984, while the title track and video received numerous other honours.

In 2009, the Thriller video was selected by the US Library of Congress for permanent preservation because of its historical, cultural and aesthetic significance. It remains the only music video inducted into the registry.

A pair of black leather Florsheim loafers worn by Jackson during the Thriller video and its rehearsals are also being sold, with an estimate of $30,000-$50,000 (£23,000-£38,000).

Also being offered is the glove Jackson wore during the landmark performance of 'Billie Jean' at Motown 25, when he introduced the moonwalk to a television audience.

Martin Nolan, co-founder and executive director at Julien's Auctions, said: 'As the world's leading entertainment auction house, and the team that set world records for both the Thriller jacket in 2011 and the Motown 25 glove in 2009, it is a true privilege to offer these pieces of history again.'

Described by organisers as the 'Holy Grail of Michael Jackson memorabilia', the glove is associated with one of the defining moments of Jackson's career.

It is being offered at auction for the first time since November 2009, just months after Jackson's death, when it was bought by Hong Kong businessman Hoffman Ma at Julien's Auctions for a then-record $430,000 (£327,000). The Thriller jacket previously sold for $1.8 million (£1.4 million) in 2011.

Also being offered is the glove Jackson wore during the landmark performance of 'Billie Jean' at Motown 25, when he introduced the moonwalk to a television audience

Nolan added: 'The Thriller jacket is the one the world has never stopped talking about, and we are thrilled to unveil it alongside the rhinestone-studded glove Michael Jackson wore when he debuted the moonwalk at Motown 25, and these other cultural artifacts. 

'Each one carries a moment that changed pop culture forever, and we're honored to offer them again.'

The glove has since been displayed as a major cultural attraction, viewed by fans and visitors from around the world.

The performance is widely regarded as a defining moment in Jackson's career as a solo artist. Its choreography, including the opening pose and moonwalk during the song's bridge, became a template for his later live performances.

The memorabilia will form part of a wider series of auctions and exhibitions in Abu Dhabi. Before the December live sales, selected highlights will go on an international tour.

The tour begins with a US press unveiling at Julien's Auctions in Los Angeles on October 7, followed by a display at Hankyu in Osaka, Japan, from 9 to 12 October.

The Michael Jackson items will also appear at Prince Jackson's Heal Los Angeles Foundation's annual 'This Is Thriller' event at the historic Palace Theatre in downtown Los Angeles, where parts of the Thriller video were filmed.

In November, Julien's and Bahrain-based event management company Faalyat will stage a preview in Bahrain ahead of the Abu Dhabi auctions.

The programme will include auction highlights as well as other Michael Jackson and Princess Diana memorabilia.

The items will then be displayed at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi during Formula 1 week, before moving to the Celebrity & Pop Culture Experience at Rosewood Abu Dhabi.

They will eventually be auctioned in Los Angeles on December 8 and 9