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"From the moment you arrive in the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition you realise that all of his creativity, theatricality and originality is going to be on display," Alexandra Shulman said, following a preview this week."Clothes can often look dull when sitting there motionless, but there is nothing dull for one minute about this collection, which is a riot of sound, movement and colour."
Read Charlotte Sinclair's preview from the April issue of Vogue here.
<p style="text-align: left;"
class="CaslonbodycopyAmbroiseBodyDropcap">There are many designers
one admires, but few with whom you might actually want to go to
dinner.Jean PaulGaultier seems an obvious exception.His three-decade career
has been distinguished by a quality not generally associated with
high fashion: humour.It is not unusual to see models Irish jig and
tango and disco dance down his catwalk, dressed as Boy George or
Grace Jones.Few other designers revel in low culture with such
glee as Gaultier, or can boast a career that has moved from
presenting the camp late-night television show Eurotrash
to designing haute couture.
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<p style="text-align: left;"
class="CaslonbodycopyAmbroiseBodyDropcap">Gaultier's sense of
playfulness is a quality much on display in *The Fashion World
of Jean Paul Gaultier:From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk*, a new
exhibition opening this month at the Barbican.Using video
projection, mannequins have been given expressive faces, they speak
to visitors, smile and sing.One such figure - dressed in a long
skirt and striped top - is projected with an image of Gaultier's
own face.The designer's irreverent personality - inextricable from
his output - lives large in the exhibition's 140-plus outfits.
Alongside sketches, video footage and photography (by David
LaChapelle, Herb Ritts, Richard Avedon and Mario Testino), the
clothing on show represents what might be called Gaultier house
codes:Breton T-shirts, sailor garb, lingerie, tattoos, a certain
shade of pale boudoir pink, mermaids, virgins and tightly corseted
femmes fatales.His notion of femininity is all vamp:Dita Von
Teese has walked his catwalk, as has Beth Ditto (he has long championed
diversity in fashion).
<p style="text-align: left;"
class="CaslonbodycopyAmbroiseBodyDropcap">The apex of Gaultier's
fame is perhaps best expressed by a single object: the conical-bra basque worn by Madonna on her *Blond
Ambition* tour of 1990.It speaks of his love of pop music and
pop stars, his sense of transgression - the abiding influence of
his punk-era upbringing - his interest in street trends, high camp
and gender-bending style (Gaultier rocked a kilt long before Marc
Jacobs did).Other exhibits, including film costumes made for Pedro
Almodóvar and Luc Besson, and stage costumes for Kylie Minogue, reveal a couturier's eye for
detail, cut and unexpected elegance - moments of quiet beauty that
can be obscured by the exuberance of Gaultier's public persona.
Exquisite embroidered gowns evoking a storm of fireworks over
Paris, a blade-sharp tuxedo jumpsuit, a corset covered in
mille-feuille pleats are all deserving of closer inspection.
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<p style="text-align: left;"
class="CaslonbodycopyAmbroiseBodyDropcap">"It is difficult to
single out one piece, each one is like a child to me," says
Gaultier.Though to see his "obsessions" grouped together made him
"realise how strong they are, and how constant in my work".He
adds, typically droll, "I must be honest and say I didn't want to
do an exhibition at first.I thought that exhibitions were for
those who are dead.And I am very much alive."
<p style="text-align: left;"
class="CaslonbodycopyAmbroiseBodyDropcap">*"The Fashion World of
Jean Paul Gaultier:From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk" is at the
Barbican, EC2, from April 9 to August 25*
<p style="text-align: left;"
class="CaslonbodycopyAmbroiseBodyDropcap">
Read more:Style File - Jean Paul Gaultier
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class="CaslonbodycopyAmbroiseBodyDropcap">*
