Katie’s Fashion Fairground: The Utter Excellence of Jean Paul Gaultier

24-03-2014

With the envision of a now hugely respected and undoubtedly iconic fashion designer, the thought of Jean Paul Gaultier beginning his working life as a presenter of the camp late-night television show Eurotrash is quite an unexpected turn-around one would suppose.

His legendary and lust-worthy fashions aren’t the only elements that distinguish Gaultier, as along with his clothing works comes his overriding sense of humour, which has been exhibited through his catwalk models and their unconventional behaviours, doing the Irish jig, tango or disco dancing down his runways, or dressed as Boy George, David Bowie or Grace Kelly.

It is Gaultier’s engaging and alluring sense of playfulness that is anticipated to be showcased next month at London’s Barbican, where a new exhibition entitled The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk awaits fans and fashionistas, enticing us into the designers’ vast body of works.

Guests of the exhibition can expect the revisited unveiling of Gaultier’s 140 plus outfits, along with mannequins that have been given expressive faces that speak, smile and even sing to visitors using video projections, as well as exclusive sketches, video footage and photography. The illusion of Gaultier himself will be witnessed thanks to one such figure with an projection image of his own face and dressed in a long skirt and striped top.

We can expect to observe the designer’s impertinent personality – inextricable from his output. His fashions on show epitomize what might be called Gaultier house codes, with his most symbolic looks on parade such as: tightly corseted femmes fatales, mermaids, virgins, a certain shade of pale boudoir pink, tattoos, lingerie, sailor garb and Breton T-shirts.

The French designer’s obsession with vamped femininity will be celebrated, and with figures including Dita Von Teese and Beth Ditto, diversity in fashion is an overriding factor he has always championed. Costumes on show will ultimately exude Gaultier’s passion of pop music and pop stars, along with his interest in street trends, high camp and gender-bending attires.

With such a predominant influence of his punk-era background, the conical-bra basque worn by Madonna on her 1990 Blond Ambition tour is arguably one of Gaultier’s most legendary and notorious creations, which is of course among the exhibits.

Other masterpieces that folk can expect to be thrilled by include film costumes created for Pedro Almodovar and Luc Besson, and impeccable detail, cut and an air of unexpected elegance on Kylie Minogue’s stage costumes that essentially capture a couturier’s eye for excellence. Not neglecting gowns that are exquisitely embroidered, a sword-sharp tuxedo jumpsuit, and a millefeuille pleated corset, all of which demand the upmost scrutiny and attention.