Jean Paul Gaultier presented his first collection 35 years ago and was quickly dubbed an ‘enfant terrible’ by the fashion press. This was attributed to his humorous, sometimes extravagant and often provocative designs, with which he blurred the boundaries between cultures and genders and occasionally even mixed up époques and genres. The French designers often finds the inspiration for his collections on the street so the title of his first international show in Montreal, Canada (‘The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk’) could also allude to this inexhaustible source of inspiration.
‘From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk’ could, however, just as likely have biographical references and the fact that in 1997 the young Parisian boy from the suburbs managed to enter the holy temple of haute couture, without ever training to become a tailor.
The exhibition on show at the Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) is more like an installation. Exhibition mannequins with animated faces ‘speak’ to the viewers and present approx. 140 collection pieces. Around a dozen celebrities lent the mannequins their faces or voices.
The exhibition is complemented by six multimedia thematic sections, as well as sketches, stage costumes, film excerpts, concerts and photographs by illustrious artists including Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, Richard Avedon, Erwin Wurm, Steven Meisel, Paolo Roversi and many more names from the Jean Paul Gaultier fashion world.
After all, with his penchant for hybrid forms Gaultier has always looked outside of the fashion box and has worked with artists from different fields, whether musicians like Madonna, or dancers or directors like Peter Greenaway and Pedro Almodóvar.
The exhibition will be on show until 2 October before it embarks on its tour, stopping off at Dallas, San Francisco, Madrid and Rotterdam.
Molded heads for the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition mannequins
Foreground: Jean Paul Gaultier
Background: Francisco Randez
Photo: MMFA Christine Guest
Photo: Jerry Pigeon (Studio JPG)
Photo:Jerry Pigeon (Studio JPG)
Les Cages [Cages] collection
Calligraphie dress Haute couture fall/winter 2008-2009
© Patrice Stable/Jean Paul Gaultier
Photo by Natacha Gysin
Photo: Jerry Pigeon (Studio JPG)
