January 25, 2018 |
Jean Paul Gaultier has the power. It was instilled in him by his first employer, Pierre Cardin. “Pierre Cardin hired me and I was still in school, so I put in a few hours a week at his atelier,” Gaultier memorably said in ‘From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk’. “Cardin practiced the craft of couture with incredible elegance and ease.” This was the future they envisioned then, and now that we’re in that moment, does it look so alien? No, it’s really quite clean, amazonian fabulous and cleansing. A fashion detox. Never thought we’d say that about Gaultier but it was so sculptural, grown up, polished and fluid. Side note: we’re not so sure about the theatrical poses, although such a trademark of Gaultier. You do you.
Slashed and sliced meticulously, from waists on jackets to ribbon dresses to detail on boots. Clever cutting, clever revealing and concealing. It was refined right through the asymmetric tailoring with one shoulder jackets and waistcoats, totally lean and clean to the coloured tiered fringing sashaying. It was contemplative Gaultier, and although we’d like to quote Madonna here, really it was more of a Jean-Michel Jarre affair. Ambient, modulating synthesised vibrations. Slinking down that runway to the sounds. Simple. Controlled. “Even though I like the fashions of the past and am constantly looking to the future, my main influence is what’s happening today,” he said. “Fashion must correspond to the aspirations of the moment and reflect current events.” Because right now we want to take charge. And so it was handled with care, in the most Gaultier way possible. As Garth informs us, “They have the same hair style as Milk from Ru Paul Drag Race All Star.” Provocatively considered.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans
