It’s probably not just a thing that’s come from being a drag queen, in fact I know it’s not, as I had a huge interest in this subject before I was doing drag, but there are certain designers whose work has captivated me, whose work I admire and am often influenced by. I’m going to be shining a spotlight on some of my favourites for you and, as is fitting for my first instalment of LGBTQ+ History Month where I want to shine a light on some bona-fide gay icons, the first I’m coming to is the legendary ‘enfant terrible’ of fashion, Jean-Paul Gaultier.
So, what does that name contour up for you? If it’s pointy bras and perfume bottles in the shape of perfect bodies, then you’d be right, but that’s only half the story. His work has long captivated me, possibly because it embraces breaking the rules, has a love affair with the unconventional, glamourises the eccentric, meddles with gender and tears expectations asunder. Sounds like a perfect match for my personality, doesn’t it?
Born in 1952, young Jean-Paul lived in Arcueil, a southern suburb of Paris and was introduced to the world of fashion by his grandmother. He never actually had formal training as a fashion designer but drew inspiration from designs he saw on television and in magazines and quickly became somewhat of a prodigy. By the age of thirteen, he had designed collections for his mother and grandmother and by the time he was eighteen, he’d caught the attention of legendary Paris-based designer Pierre Cardin. He apprenticed under him for a year before apprenticing with several other renowned designers before finally establishing his own fashion label and his first collection of women’s fashion in 1976, before his own store in 1982 and his first men’s collection in 1984. The 80’s continued to open Jean-Paul up to a wider market and further popularity and the 90’s were even better! In 1993, his product portfolio had expanded into the fragrance market with the release of the curvaceous, female torso bottled ‘Classique’, shortly followed by the men’s ‘Le Male’ in 1995, which are still bestsellers today and were followed by a long line of fabulous other scents. In 1997, he launched his Haute Couture collection and took his place as fashion royalty.
He’s flirted with releasing music, such as 1988’s dance single ‘How To Do That’ and also ventured into television, as some 90s television aficionados will remember, co-hosting the series Eurotrash, alongside Antoine de Caunes. He’s even sat as a judge on the jury for the Cannes Film Festival and was the first fashion designer to do so in 2012. It seems there’s no end to his talents!
He famously designed for Madonna’s Blonde Ambition Tour in 1990 and Confessions Tour in 2006 and Kylie Minogue’s KylieX2008 tour, along with a veritable who’s who of the celeb world, including Gaga, Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and countless others. These have each contributed to his legendary status in pop culture.
Rumour has it that the world’s best-selling cosmetic brand MAC even formulated the classic Russian Red lipstick at his behest specifically for Madonna’s Blonde Ambition Tour and his pointy boobed corsets will always remain synonymous with her, even paying tribute to his earlier work by building a tribute framework style corset for the MDNA tour in 2013.
Jean-Paul’s unique style draws from many influences, from vintage 20’s, 30’s and 40’s styles to shapes and structures often associated with military dress garments, often intertwined with burlesque imagery and fabulous feathers or religious iconography. There are punk-inspired tartans, safety pins and torn edges, tattoos, kilts, all sorts! Dark, rich colours, interspersed with golds and vivids. Juxtapositions of textures and finishes, even styles, marrying structured shapes with flowing drapery. A truly endless imagination and a fusion of concepts and ideas evoking passion, sex, history, religion, punk, glamour and everything in between. His designs are rarely for the shy or faint-hearted and exude confidence and sexiness, but with a fun, accessibility, approachability and more than a dollop of temptation.
Another common visual cue Gaultier is known for is the marinière, the blue and white striped cotton shirts worn by French sailors. The matelot-stripe motif is common across his brand and often seen in the fragrance ad campaigns, especially associated with the ‘Le Male’ fragrance. The stripes even appear on the muscular torso shaped bottle as a vest.
I was fortunate enough to visit an exhibition in London a few years ago showcasing his work. His use of glass beads to embellish night scenes and neon sign designs printed on dresses were even more stunning up close. The gold corset Madonna made famous, constructed from vintage 1930’s gold lamè, standing inches from my face. Really was a rare treat! It felt like I was taking a tour of fashion history. Shame the gift shop didn’t have much in my price range (which was smaller back then!)
Another thing I’ve always applauded Gaultier for is his choice of models. For every ‘perfect’, conventionally ‘beautiful’ person we’ve seen wear his clothes is another equally beautiful model led by their uniqueness and character. Jean-Paul showed the fashion world that everyone is beautiful, not just those who conform to ‘conventional’ standards. He popularised the colour ‘granny grey’ in the hair of his models, displayed tattoos not just on skin but incorporated into his designs when no other mainstream designer would and has championed plus size models and those of every age bracket. He proves that fashion, art and life are for everyone, not just who society says it’s for. His attitude is clearly as punk as some of his influences.
His styles and his penchant for scrunching up the rules and tossing them out of the window have both long inspired me in both my personal style and rebellious attitude. The quirky, fun and often irresistibly sexy looks have impacted my boy wardrobe and more than a little of my drag wardrobe and will continue to do so for years to come.
What do you love about Jean-Paul Gaultier? Do you own any of his clothes or fragrances? Let me know in the comments and stay tuned for some more spotlights on a couple more of my favourite designers and also some content for LGBTQ+ History Month, which is celebrated in the UK and a few other places in February each year.
Til next time, stay safe, stay sane, wear a pointy-boobed corset and, above all, stay… Vidalicious!
