According to Jean Paul Gaultier "It feels like a new beginning." He has many reasons to feel that way, including his recently signed deal with Gibo Co. SpA to again produce his women's ready-to-wear (the designer launched with Gibo 32 years ago). The couture collection he showed suggested an impressive creative refresh as well. Gaultier decided to be taken seriously while creating designs that made him a star in the first place.
Indian Gypsies helped Gaultier to manifest his collection for spring season. He stayed away from the cartoonish and gimmicky to convey the message of haute couture. Plenty of elegance flowed down the runway. A beautiful one shouldered black and white dress that celebrated the signature Gaultier sailor stripes was an example.
A calmer side of Gaultier was expressed as well with a voluminous white tunic and pants and a shantung trench over a sating gown. Yet there was a burst of color through lavish embroideries and patchwork that have the power to gather joyful attention. A stunner was a gold gown with black transparent insets topped with a vest of gold and black fringe and a crystal embroidered skirt that put an Indian spin on Mondrian.
Gaultier continued to add his signatures like the trench, the smoking, cone bra as well in subdued ways. What is a Jean Paul Gaultier collection without them anyways? I think we would be somewhat bored and it is always great to see so many different versions of them. Especially from Gaultier.
The couture collections by Jean Paul Gaultier are always to look forward to.
The space was filling up with anticipating haute couture spectators. But then there was an eighty minute wait that verged to a space of annoyance. It was crowded and too hot in this venue even though there were newly installed airconditioning. Due to a movie shoot that went on at the site since eight in the morning it did not sit well with all there who were spectators to the show. Hopefully with a fabulous show the annoyance would dissolve and all would be forgotten. The satisfaction was not guaranteed.
The show opened with Pete Doherty's mournful declaration on the soundtrack that he has the disease of the century debauched disillusionment), the snippet from the film "Confession Child of the Century," in which Doherty plays a 19th century aesthete. IN addition to this was Gaultier's inspiration of Metropolis mixed with a Jazz-Age dandy motif. The designer showed off his tailoring and top hats, metal headbands and wonderfully decorated wraps were accessories. The perfect cuts that Gaultier always offers in every collection are all divine. He offered many ideas of which some were great and some were simply tricky or just flat.
The endless mannish looks that paraded down the runway all seemed out of place in this couture presentation. If there were men's "haute couture" shows it would make more sense to present there. Maybe it was too late to show these dandy pieces at the time of the men's show which ended the week before. If Gaultier was trying to make androgyny a point he could have been clearer. Out of the plethora of futuristic flapper looks there were some that can be picked that were stunning.
Now that Puig is holding the majority of stake, Gaultier is a house of transition. Hopefully Gaultier can take a moment to just step back and take a breath and go to the drawing board and create a collection that is more cohesive and at the same time expressing the Gaultier touch we know and love.
Amy Winehouse's style and fashion flair inspired Jean Paul Gaultier to design a collection that is an addition to all the wonderful creative work he has done through out his career. Gaultier's collection offers everything from daywear to evening. The beautiful blacks garments that were a mixture of solid to transparent were sharp and clean. The corsets were perfect and sexy mixed with sexy lace. The mixture of colors were clever as always. He did well in really taking some elements to a couture level. This collection is really clever with a nice seductive undertone that showed a sense of femme fatale that Gaultier is known for. No fashion re-hab is needed here!
In the 80's I remember that Gaultier was called the enfant terrible. And rightfully so. Gaultier's designs back then were inspired by pop culture and the street. They were infused with his ingenious touches that were delightful to the eye. Back then I loved his collections and every season I always looked forward to his presentations. The anticipation for his collections is still there and I am never disappointed.
Gaultier never had any formal training in design. He has worked for Pierre Cardin as an assistant. Eventually he went to Jean Patou and there he suggested to give each assistant a chance to design a collection for a season. The house said that it would be a bit expensive. Well, years later he opened Gaultier Paris, his own couture line.
Jean Paul Gaultier
The Spring Haute Couture 2011 collection that Gaultier offered is a wonderful parade of sophisticated looking women with mohawks pinned in their hair projecting strength, independence and sophistication for the modern world today. This collection is very Parisian. The suits that went down the runway made it quite clear that there are many to choose from and I think that some clients had a hard time choosing. His signature details were not left out. You can see them on showstoppers such as the white and navy striped organza evening dress, a white pant suit with the hour glass jacket, and trench coat influences were seen on some jackets and remarkable dresses. A black beaded halter jumpsuit that looked transparent, had no trouble sparkiling and was seductively breath taking.
All I can say is that this collection designed by an enfant terrible was not terrible at all!
Jean Paul Gaultier has a wonderful imagination and his designs sweeps us up into his world of fashion that makes us either laugh or smile or both in the end. For this season he showed a collection that had a mature playful feeling only to add the humor he embodies to make us smile at the clever pattern, construction and style that he so often plays with. Gaultier called this collection "la beourgoise sans age".
The tailoring on his suits that come with pants or skirts are done and the result always comes out crisp and sharp. The tweeds and wools that they are made of always make me slowly inspect the way they are made. Wonderful cardigans and turtle necks made a look that I am sure some women would enjoy. Blouses with different prints were beautiful and lady like. There were jumpsuits that were perfect for evening and a lot of trenches that were made of a mix of fabrics.
Definitely a collection for any woman of any age. I even think that my own mother who swoons over any amazing collection would want to wear Gaultier.
Jean Paul Gaultier
Fall/Winter 2011
Here is a designer that everybody has been keeping an eye on. One of the reason is because his name keeps coming up to be the new creative director at Dior. It could be a possibility. We'll see.
And on that note Haider Ackermann has presented a fine collection full of sophistication and modern luxury that is tasteful and well rounded. A lot of elongated shapes and silhouettes walked down the runway displaying the wonderful exhibition of fantastic colors, coats, straps, some draped, liquid, tailored and beaded ensembles and pieces, that were completed with a touch of perfect craftsmanship. The line up was pretty diverse and it never had anyone look away because it definitely commanded the attention of everyone. If there was a thought of ease and breathing space with a touch of luxe and sophistication in Ackermann's mind then this is the result of his thoughts. And what magnificent thoughts there were in this collection! Bravo!
