On October 26, 1993, the "King of Pop," Michael Jackson, filed United States Patent #5,255,452: Method and Means for Creating Anti-Gravity Illusion. The patent is for the shoes used to perform Jackson's iconic anti-gravity illusion seen on his 1988 music video "Smooth Criminal." Jackson wanted to solidify his "patented" move. The patent below includes the abstract, drawings, summary, and description of the shoes. The patent allows the "wearer to learn forwardly beyond his center of gravity." The inventors listed on the patent along with Michael Jackson are Michael Bush and Dennis Tomkins, the Hollywood design duo credited with creating Jackson's iconic look. For 25 years, Bush and Tompkins created most of Michael Jackson's personal and professional wardrobes including the military style, black pants, bunched-up socks, and sparking white glove.
