Fashion Rebels: Jean Paul Gaultier and his tremendous impact on fashion design

“It’s beautiful to be what you are.” (Jean Paul Gaultier)

“My eccentricity became direction,” Jean Paul Gaultier once said. And it really did. In 1985, under the inspiration of Scottish traditions, he presented man-skirts and promoted their use, especially kilts, in men’s wardrobes. Through all his creations his inspirations were from Chinese, Bedouin, Nordic, Orthodox Jewish, Russian and other ethnic influences. It’s just like a walk from one cultural environ to another.

“I saw a group of rabbis leaving the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue. I found them very beautiful, very elegant, with their hats and their huge coats flapping in the wind. It was a fantastic scene.” Due to the designer’s ability to notice the unusual beauty in very ordinary things, even in the group of rabbis, we can still admire his 1993 collection of urban wear, encouraged by Jewish Orthodox style.

He was inspired by the growth of technology as well, and as early as the late 70s he created the “High Tech” collection consisting of Lycra, vinyl and neoprene pieces, all very controversial materials for the runways.

In fact, diversity from all spheres of life can be an inspiration for this designer. Gaultier caused a great blow by using alternative models for his shows: older men, full-figured women, mature female and young male couples and heavily pierced actors, he was enormously criticised and equally popular because of such approaches. Maybe one of the greatest successes he earned was due to his corsets and lingerie. His very first “client” was a teddy bear named Nana. In those days he had a fascination with the human body and his grandmother, who was full of understanding, even allowed him to explore the construction of her bras. Some decades later, in the 90s he created the famous cone bra for Madonna’s „Blonde Ambition” tour, as well as the wardrobe for her „Confessions Tour” (2006).

He was also collaborating with La Perla and Wolford hosiery, and was the inspiration for many famous lingerie brands, such as Agent Provocateur, Chromat and Bordelle. Among his clients are Kylie Minogue, Lady Gaga, Marilyn Manson, Jane Birkin and Karlie Kloss.

Until 2010, Gaultier was also the creative director of Hermès, which was deeply grateful to him for the outstanding creative contribution over seven years that saw, according to Women’s Wear Daily, Hermès reporting a sales increase of 18 percent and planning to renew or open 20 stores. After quitting the position, as is often the case, the couturier planned to develop his own label, a haute couture house, perfumes and ready-to-wear lines. However in 2014, Gaultier made the radical decision to stop producing women and men’s ready-to-wear collections.

„For some time,” he said, „I have found true fulfilment in working on the haute couture and it allows me to express my creativity and my taste for research and experimentation. At the same time the world of ready-to-wear has evolved considerably. Commercial constraints, as well as the frenetic pace of collections, don’t leave any freedom nor the necessary time to find fresh ideas and to innovate.

„After more than 38 years spent producing men and women’s ready-to-wear collections, it seems to us that the time has come to stop some of our activities and to concentrate principally on the development of the haute couture, of  perfumes and to certain collaborations that I have not yet had time to explore. This is a new beginning; I will be able to express again my creativity fully and without constraints.”

After such announcements, it’s obvious that for Gaultier creative process is much more meaningful than the amount of financial profits.

He is a performer and talk master as well. In 80s and 90s he released a dance single entitled „How To Do That” on Fontana records, from which came one of the first ever „single title” remix albums „Aow Tou Dou Zat” on Mercury records. He also co-hosted Channel 4’s program Eurotrash with Antoine de Caunes.

Such a great personality and gifted artist should be recognised, so it’s no wonder that in 2012 Gaultier was the first ever fashion designer who was invited to sit on the Jury for the „Main Competition” at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.