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JEAN PAUL GAULTIER
At the age of 18, Jean-Paul Gaultier was hired as assistant and sketch artist at Pierre Cardin: "when I crossed the threshold of his fashion house, Mother being with me, I was so scared. I didn't even know what he looked like. He hired me at 500 francs a month. I accepted. As long as I could work with him. I learned so much. The year was 1970, at a time when Cardin was someone very important in the fashion industry, he had already done it all. But he never stayed static. From one minute to the other, he might decide to start all over: relegate a scrap of fabric to the shoe department, bring up a fabric to slip it into his next collection. Everything was possible. When he opened his Theatre des Ambassadeurs, I was allowed to design the furniture, the plates".


From Pierre Cardin, Jean-Paul Gaultier learned that fashion is not a static trade, everything can change at any time until the eve of the show. "He taught me to find fashion ideas by looking at what is happening around us, without always having to have cultural references."


Then Jean-Paul Gaultier went to work for Jacques Esterel where he stayed one year before entering the fashion house of Patou as assistant to Michel Goma, and later Angelo Tarlazzi. He then came back into Pierre Cardin's team who sent him to Manila to take care of the brand name.

"All of these experiences were beneficial and taught me how to sew well and play with fabrics, colors, jewelry. For me, fashion was a discipline. I tried to find new lines. Pierre Cardin taught me that a garment can stand out through its simplicity, its cut, its materials, its color."

Still a man of excesses who refuses to conform, Jean-Paul Gaultier, since 1976, has been enthusiastically leading the fashion world from surprise to surprise. Insolent in his talent, dogged in his work, unceasingly creative, his roots belong to Paris of the 1950's

A great era of love and life, of love of life too, punctuated with fragments of songs and crisscrossed with cinematographic images - romantic escapades on the stairs of the Butte, stagelights shining down on Lola Montès played by Martine Carol, mythical legs topped by Zizi Jeanmaire's feathers at the Folies Bergère, and most of all, a wonderfully innocent period characterized by Tati's childlike uncle! As the resonant voice of Arletty declaiming against her atmospheric face faded away, while the first breath of unabashed freedom came from the United States, a child - Jean-Paul Gaultier - was drawing girls in fishnet stockings in the margins of his school notebooks, picking up tin cans in the garbage to transform them into bracelets, and spent most of this time at his grandmother's with its wonderful floral scents. It was a magical place, where you could say and do anything, Ali Baba's cave where everything was possible, a healing place, a stage to wear makeup, tell the future, all types of initiations, Jean-Paul Gaultier learned from it all. Notably hairdressing and dying of which his teddy bear was the first guinea pig

This period marked Jean-Paul Gaultier's passion for fashion, a passion which led him, at 18, to Pierre Cardin, then to Jacques Estérel in 1971, finally to Patou where he assisted Michel Goma and later Angelo Tarlazzi. Having returned to Pierre Cardin, he left France for Manila, determined to grab hold of life, footloose and fancy-free? A few months later, he came back to Paris, and met up with childhood friends, Francis and Donald, the Mutt and Jeff team that makes up today's enfants du paradis. With them, in 1976, he set sail for the adventure of creating the Jean-Paul Gaultier fashion house: first images of short tutus worn under sweaters, jewelry made of tin cans, kilt minis slit up each side, Jean-Paul Gaultier struck out at convention well decided to conquer Paris, and, in 1978, he presented his first collection with his first licensee, the Japanese firm Kashiyama.

Like any story, Jean-Paul Gaultier's work breaks down into different eras of which there now are four, and could be defined as: Paris - the past's influences on today, mixing tastes, , travels, , a return to the garment or a conception of the trade..

From his youth, Jean-Paul Gaultier has stored images, sounds, colors which will never leave him and are always reinterpreted in his collections. The Eiffel Tower is at the heart of his imaginary world, its shape, its materials, its bolts, its mythology. Paris of the Eiffel Tower, Paris of films by Marcel Carné, flowing silhouettes, berets, cigarettes, bandannas around the neck of pimps, Paris of 50's television with Jean-Christophe Averty, his graphic games and his sense of humor, and finally, Paris of the accordion with Yvette Horner. Paris and its folklore, but mostly the Paris of eclectic mixes, macadam-grown hybrids.

"My inspiration is a type of patchwork of the objects I love" he has explained, and his first collection in 1977 included the seed of every ingredient that would become his style: tutus and Perfecto leather jackets, imitation leather, waistcoats like an unfinished embroidery canvas, tea infusers substituted for earrings, faucet necklaces?

Since childhood, recycling has been predominant (the famous tin can found in the garbage transformed into a bracelet): the nylon of baby dolls, leatherette (James Bond, F/W 79-80), materials from everyday life like tablemats, bread baskets or multi-colored plastic door screens, metallic objects (High Tech, F/W 80-81), wood imitations in non-woven clothing (Eté papier, S/S 81).

His colors are always reminiscent of technicolor films and other shades faded under the sun in his grandmother's apartment. No primary colors, but sepia tones, the ochre of film posters, opera reds, bottle green, salmon pink and black, a black used in the Juliette Greco dress he celebrated with his existentialist friends (Paris Gaultier, F/W 82-83).

The clothing belongs to the Parisienne's wardrobe: the short or long trench coat, that may be worn over bare skin, the velvet Perfecto worn over knickers, the tutu and a leather bomber jackets. The clothes are undermined, worn differently, cut and pasted in a new manner. The trench coat is made of gold and opens on the corset dress, the evening dress is made of chiffon to get a better look at garter/braces, Parisian chic - which comes from the personality of a woman who is clever about putting her clothes together - has found a new form of expression.

"I am fascinated by mix and match, real or fake, diversions, everything that goes into making you unsure about what is reality. I like it when there are several ways of seeing something, when the interpretations are such that nothing is a sure thing, everything is relative. The mystery remains, reality shrouded in poetry, but nevertheless there."


Influenced by a Paris where all meet and everything blends, the proletariat and the aristocrat, the distinguished and the run-of-the-mill, the beautiful and the ugly, Jean-Paul Gaultier goes on his way blending tastes, eras, genders.


His first collection for men consecrated "The Male Object" (S/S 84) who, far from being macho, dared to seduce. A door was opened, the equality of sexes bringing about common clothing with a low-cut back as it's emblem. Androgyny was another step on the road to co-habitation, and he launched the wardrobe for two (S/S 85) before both sexes could find each other in the men's skirt or in the superposition of skirts and trousers.


He continued mixing tastes with a walk along Barbes' cobblestones, a cosmopolitan area if ever there was one in Paris' Montmartre. African tunics kept warm under short jackets or frock coats, and convention flew out the window.


Finally, the jacket was progressively transformed, one of the most striking versions having lost its collar, worn off-the-shoulders and gathered by a small shawl (La concierge est dans l'escalier, S/S 88). Then the lines got closer to the body, this was the reign of stretch knits, the shapely short jacket over tapered trousers for a more masculine touch (French Gigolo, F/W 86-87), and women topped their crazy petticoats with a short jacket (Les Poupées, S/S 86).


Variations on a color theme, sequins sported in the daytime, classical shapes constantly reworked, Jean-Paul Gaultier explores his fashion vocabulary like Captain Nemo the depths of the sea!

The 1997 fashion show was to be a history of 20th century clothing recounting the mastery involved in making clothing; it turned out to be an exceptional haute couture collection in the truest sense of the word.



Dresses in every imaginable style (Fin de siècle, Summer 95), homages to the century's great designers with today's reinterpretation, renew with the roots of the Parisienne's elegance. Jean-Paul Gaultier has found the quintessence of dresses from the 20's, 30's and 40's, etc., and introduces anachronisms, nostalgia in reality. "I've made collages of the periods, it gives crossbred silhouettes, retrospective but never faithful copies. The work is current, taffetas are sewn with microfiber nylon, zippers have replaced hooks, stretch knits provide comfort and pockets a touch of practicality".



In the same vein, man rejects machismo and opts for seduction (L'homme couture, F/W 96-97), unveiling a low-cut back or the glimpse of an ankle, so many fragments considered desirable in women, without compromising his virility of course. As for the clothing, the strict cut and demanding finishes are always there despite the fantasy of taffetas, dupion, embroidery and glitter, the dresses and trouser-skirts designed in the spirit of yesteryear's brothels (La maison des plaisirs, S/S 97). A maharajah tries out a kilt under a sailor's jacket, a bathtub sailor plays with red and white stripes, a dandy in every type of polka-dot.



Another expression is found in the variations on a cube, or how does clothing hang by itself on a body? (La boule et le cube, F/W 96-97). Answer: weighted volumes like in olden days. Quadrilateral structures, cubic volumes, ribs accentuating the lines of geometrical shapes, dresses, sheaths, skirts reminiscent of the 60's options. Quite logically, this collection is succeeded by a game of heads or tails (La parisienne punk, S/S 97), silhouettes - trousers, shirt, vest, jacket- that are actually one piece of ultra chic clothing as seen from the front, a masterly trompe l'oeil, and has a few surprises in back: bare backs with trousers cut so low on the waist as to show a glimpse of the color and geometry of G-string fishnet stockings

19 JANVIER 1997: BIRTH OF GAULTIER PARIS


A dream has finally come true, to give life to a fashion collection made oneself: the ability to be free, the possibility of thinking "differently" about fashion, driven by the need to be up-to-date, elegant, creative for ones contemporaries.


The collection includes 70 models, 15 of which are for men because Jean-Paul Gaultier is still faithful to beliefs: men and women deserve elegance and have the right to vestmental arms of seduction as well as remaining themselves. This couture collection offers men embroidery, bustiers, fur collars, an open back veiled in lace.


The collection is built and presented as the wardrobe of a modern woman: to start, the clothing is super simple, a second skin, the black crepe catsuit, for day and for night. This is followed by suits, the chic and essential formula (Jean-Paul Gaultier is above all a tailor and his men or women's suits are clearly "identifiable" by their cut and finishes) shown here in a stretch sweater suit version that fits over the head; an over large version to be wrapped up in; a bias cut front deep cleavage version with very pure lines; finally a décolleté version, bare shoulders or scoop back. In contrast with the strict suits comes the jackets, blouses, overcoats, in tennis stripes or organza, kimono adaptations are also worn from morn to eve. Another essential item, the dress, without forgetting the little black dress, more or less covered - demure and embroidered -, more or less sexy - a décolleté sliding off one shoulder-, ultra light dress in cotton tulle on a nude background or reproachless like the black crepe corset dress.


A couture collection is also full of surprises that make the most reasonable garment seductive and a stand out. Jean-Paul Gaultier blends charm and tenderness with a touch of spice, as shown by the car cardigan with glove sleeves crocheted with peccary leather; the same is true as he changes his signature sailor's top into a "siren" dress with ecru and navy lace stripes, old jeans are taken apart and sumptuously embroidered with jet for a frock coat with princely and impertinent outline. It is also the sparkle of a bustier embroidered with dragons and a lacquer red skirt which seems to "fall". Then like a cloud, light as cotton candy, an evening dress completely draped with white tulle on a peach background.


In these 70 models, Jean-Paul Gaultier wanted to seduce and correspond to today's desires; his collection combines traditional talent, creativity and pleasure necessary for modern elegance. Couture has its rules. After having taken the client's measurements, the clothing is made in the designer's workshop, then adapted and perfected in one or two fittings. Couture is custom-made work done with great perfection on a given body. Couture is a unique garment for oneself. Jean-Paul Gaultier also wanted lower prices to reach a new female clientele.
COLLECTION CHRONOLOGY


1976


OCTOBER: First collection presented at the Palais de la Découverte.

1978


OCTOBER '78:First collection presented with his first licensee, the Japanese firm, Kashiyama.

1979


AUTUMN/WINTER - 79-80: JAMES BOND JAMES BOND

In the spirit of the 60's, miniskirts and leatherette trousers; musical accompaniment: "My Way", the Sex Pistols' version. A recycling of periods and a blend of tastes is well under way.

1980


AUTUMN/WINTER - 80-81: HIGH TECH

Inspired by upholstery, this collection reuses the perforated leatherette of car seats, another way of looking at carpet in a Chanel style suit and a plethora of jewelry made of tin cans. This is the winter of short kilts and stainless steel, book bag clasps and buckles, and the long windbreaker made of plastic. The models are not professional and he chooses them rather small.

1981


SPRING/SUMMER - 81: ETE PAPIER

AUTUMN/WINTER - 81-82: LES SORCIERES

1982


AUTUMN/WINTER - 82-83: PARIS GAULTIER

Winter clothing for the Parisienne. Square shoulders, volumes, a clear silhouette, pinched or thin waist, held in a wide belt. Typical in its black, with a touch of white in pearls hung around a stiff collar, a beret, pumps, but all done with a breath of fresh air, announcing the freedom to choose between long and short. For evening , a pointy bustier embroidered with steel nails for the rock n'roll yet elegant vamp.

1983


SPRING/SUMMER - 83: LE DADAISME

Initiated by a feminine gesture - the flick of the head making the garment slide off the shoulder, this collection is askance, teeters, tilts, exposes flashes of skin as the clothes move. Braces slide off shoulders, skirts sway around the hips, bathrobes and pyjama tops over trousers go to town and out for the evening, corset dresses appear, clothing is inside out, upside down, lingerie moves into a different category by becoming wearable clothing. The trick is clothing sewn together as a trompe l'oeil more suggestive than apparent.



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 83-84:
LES CINQ DERNIERES MINUTES

The trench coat, reminiscent of film heroines and a wardrobe basic, reappears often in the collections, sometimes transformed into: a short belted overcoat, made in every possible fabric even a shiny metallic.



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Jean-Paul Gaultier decides to present a collection for men every 6 months like the women's fashion shows.

1984


SPRING/SUMMER - 84: L'HOMME OBJET

COLLECTION FOR MEN
Everything flows, he opts for the destructured look and borrows from universal shapes like the djellabah. Taffeta vests on flowing trousers, gandhoura on sarouel, baby blue and sunbleached white, men's wear becomes seductive, notably with the advent of bare backs.



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SPRING/SUMMER - 84: LE RETOUR DE L'IMPRIME

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Optical play, foulard ties, free form geometrics, all of it printed on flowing, stunning fabrics. The shawl-collared vest, the wide and straight trousers, the shirt and scarf, are blended in an engaging festival of bright colors and patterns. A kitschy spirit for chic hippies.



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 84-85: BARBES

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
All of Paris' cross-blends and intermixes in one collection. Fringes reveal just enough of a bare back or bright panties, shoulder shawls are wrapped like turbans, scarves over a black jersey dress are tied at the hip, African tunics worn under vests walk the streets, jackets large enough for another person are either too big and too narrow, and bend at the waist as if borrowed from someone thinner, prints are wild but beautifully blended, vivid colors blend generously, volumes take off and have fun, a gust of freedom blows on the silhouette.

1985


SPRING/SUMMER - 85: ET DIEU CREA L'HOMME

COLLECTION FOR MEN
Now a cult tog, it was the year of the trouser skirt for men: trousers with wide legs one lapped over the other like a loincloth. The short jacket is aerated and missing a few pieces, the body shows through. Sweaters are shorter, and shirttails hang over onto canvas trousers, another pretext to blend prints, often checks. Beiges, browns and sepias firm up in contact with luminous yellow or bright green.



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SPRING/SUMMER - 85:
UNE GARDE-ROBE POUR DEUX

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
A manifesto of mixes or how men and women can explore the clichés linked to both sexes: black leather lingerie, red lace, tuxedo-bustier, cowboy boots-chaps, high heeled sneakers? But the pair can take flight, draped in silks and madras under an Eastern jacket, regardless of being man or woman. And the finale showed the attachment: men and women bound together in the same garment.



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 85-86: JOLI MONSIEUR

COLLECTION FOR MEN
The mix and match clothing from preceding seasons are now the basics of a men's wardrobe in a classical spirit of fabrics and prints: gabardine, wools, silks in solid reds and black, Prince of Wales and quiet checks. Man borrows the dress, but not from woman!



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 85-86:
LE CHARME COINCE DE LA BOURGEOISIE

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Quilted fabrics on the honor roll shown in coats, ample skirts for the evening in warm tones, prune red notably. Viennese and Brandenburg harmonies are the prerogative of nostalgic people. The Irish sweater is colored and shorter over a velvet panel skirt or baggy fringed trousers. And the wig of the toppled queen lights up!

1986


SPRING/SUMMER - 86: HISTOIRE D'HOMME

COLLECTION FOR MEN
The sailor trousers ride all the way up to the armpits to outline a straight and long silhouette under baggy reefer vests or short and wide sweaters. Floral prints are everywhere, invading the wardrobe and shirts are worn loose over trousers. Jackets are combined with the ruffled shirt to form but one single trompe l'oeil piece?



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SPRING/SUMMER - 86: LES POUPEES

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
The glory of stretch fabrics and ultra femininity: a blend of periods, a blend of tastes, fluffy petticoats and undergarments from the last century are subjected to the influence of London's punks. Everything from a striped sailor's T-shirt, to the shapely dresses, the very short Perfecto, the stretch jacket, are worn over generously flounced petticoats, with yards of tulle and lacy lingerie.



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 86-87: FRENCH GIGOLO

COLLECTION FOR MEN
Sensuality rules in these clothes with strict lines but assembled for a softened silhouette, close fitted shapes appeal to men. The mesh shirt follows the torso, double breasted jackets cover the superposition of skirts over trousers, the crudely cut double sided square jacket is worn over a form-fitting sweater with high neck. Volumes are rounder, fabrics create a supple shell, the colors, greys, khaki, violet, are shown mostly in solids?and hairstyles complete the look!



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 86-87:
LA COLLECTION SANS TITRE

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Influenced by Russian art from the 1930's, notably the Constructionists, models are shown in shapes that respect a body movements and shows it off, notably those borrowed from bikers, and the graphics are the Cyrillic alphabet. The molded body, stretch fabrics only, hemlines above the knee, the collection is also the renewed tradition of a new jacket, a belted volume, a supple frame, in plastic coated weave. And the woman dressed in a Lycra box dress is never without her opera gloves and skintight stocking pumps!

1987


SPRING/SUMMER - 87:
SOUVENIRS DE VACANCES

COLLECTION FOR MEN
The man child has kept his canvas windbreaker but has grown up without it, the sexy man chooses to cover a lacerated T-shirt with a traditional suit?two attitudes, two seasonal charms, two ways of showing off the skin for two archetypes of male sensuality.



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SPRING/SUMMER - 87:
TROIS FOIS RIEN PAR UN BON A RIEN

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Here come the "little nothings", basics in the new era of Lycra. Lingerie inspiration show up in the use of real girdle fabric, the body is molded in a short skirt, tuxedo jacket, leggings, and the spotlight is on legs. Jean-Paul Gaultier imposes his tailor's spirit. The catsuit is made of elastic mesh, and the jacket has lost its sleeves. Sometimes it is shown with short balloon sleeves gathered by a button topping a balloon skirt too, or for a stricter look, a pair of shorts. Fabrics, colors, cuts and easy to wear shapes, it's all a question of personality.



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 87-88: LES ROCK STARS

COLLECTION FOR MEN
Extravagance on a daily basis, here are yesterday's rock stars whose vestimentary daring helped bring on their success, now back to influence the collection. Double breasted jacket with a fake panther fur yoke, a mixture of very British checks and tartans, velvet T-shirt over tweed trousers, mild mannered suits whose front pockets are replaced with a brightly colored glove, proof that the classics in men's wardrobes can handle any fantasy. And singer Fred Chichin from the Rita Mitsouko's proves it.



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 87-88: FORBIDDEN GAULTIER

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
This collections signals the alliance of tradition with technology, black rubber from sex shops is turned into an evening dress with premolded breasts and preformed hips. The fabrics, vinyls, plastics and smooth foam back shine while the others, more matte, form mini reliefs such as the fake astrakhan fur implying cold weather fashion. Rounded shoulders and rounded hips, the jackets affirm a super curvy body.



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Launch of JUNIOR Gaultier, a complementary collection, to be mixed with the main collections. Less costly, its decor comes from the Paris Metro.

1988


SPRING/SUMMER - 88: LES RETROS MODERNES

COLLECTION FOR MEN
A bit British, wide striped jacket over sweat pants, a bit of a show-off, double breasted jacket over striped boxers, artificially nonchalant, linen tint-on-tint double breasted suit, the elegant man chooses a silhouette from the past revived with sports clothing.



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SPRING/SUMMER - 88: LA CONCIERGE EST DANS L'ESCALIER

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Paced by Yvette Horner's accordion, the Parisienne with her little beret parades on the catwalks with freshness and spirit, bared shoulders announcing the return of the suit. Baggy and flowing trousers replace the former focus on a molded body, chiffon with Impressionist prints come between a pleated skirt, itself between boxers and jacket. Tennis stripes, club stripes, polka dotted scarf, and vivid colors blend and play a new melody.



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JUNIOR GAULTIER is also present, with small impertinent items to be mixed and matched among themselves or with the major collection. The mini denim Perfecto over a combination rubber and lace trimmed dress, the parachute nylon jacket embroidered with "skull and crossbones", the chiffon dress printed with bones or skulls conceals its transparency over denim toreador trousers.



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 88-89: ROBIN DES BOIS

COLLECTION FOR MEN
Medieval inspiration from childhood fairy tales, the silhouette prefers baggy trousers under a slightly tapered or straight jacket. A tunic without T-shirt shown in supple gabardine, deep V-neck and pockets, and the trousers-vest combination elongates the silhouette even more. Earth colors, metallic shine highlighted with bright yellow, lithe and soft fabrics, the traditional men's suit takes on a nonchalant comfort.



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 88-89: LES PENSIONNATS

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Navy blue is no longer a fatality for these boarding school girls who opt for heavy and warm colors, browns, ochre and bottle green, assembled with subtlety. Skirts are longer of course, dresses and short jackets are concealed under short grandmother capes, catsuits warm up with little sweaters and monochrome accessories. Sailor stripes and ribbing play off of diagonals on pullovers. And far from the watchful eyes of monitors, the collar of jumpsuits slips off the shoulder, some of the boarders might just go out with their knickers and jacket only!

1989


SPRING/SUMMER - 89: WESTERN BAROQUE

COLLECTION FOR MEN
Straight jacket with narrow neckline, jeans cut trousers, cowboy boots, big belt buckle and Stetson, so much for the basics. Then add a fringed scarf, a leopard print blacksmith's apron, a leather vest, bandanna over the mouth, these city cowboys who haunt cinema screens, between spice tones and sun-faded colors, hone the classics of men's wardrobes.



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SPRING/SUMMER 89: VOYAGE AUTOUR DU MONDE EN 168 TENUES

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Woman was gone for a long time, but when she did come back and unpacked her luggage, she wore her jackets slit high on the hips, and everything she had collected on her travels. As cosmopolitanism requires, the flounced cowboy trousers distract from an absinthe musketeer-style shirt under a saffron yellow silk vest, all worn with violet evening gloves; her fur-print shirts slide over her almost-orthopaedic lingerie, a leather jacket with its fringed collar covers a long, lace-trimmed, silk negligée. The sailor top clings over coolie trousers. Colors blend sensitivity and softness. And it?s summer - these are cage clothes, dresses, jackets, catsuits, all open at the waist, hips or shoulders.



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 89 -90: FANTOMAS

COLLECTION FOR MEN
This engaging villain with his well-known attire, which encloses his body to give more freedom of movement, is the pretext for a collection which finds comfort in forms close to the body. Jersey leggings and trousers are worn with impeccably-cut jackets, stiff-collared shirts reminiscent of fencing suits, whilst frock coats and tails worthy of the most elegant English Lord lend our thief elegance in very ordinary world. White and mottled grey are everywhere, with splashes of fluorescent color notes.



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 89-90: FEMMES ENTRE ELLES

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
The jacket narrates the art of tailoring by displaying every stage of construction - tacking threads, yokes, lining and more lining all shown on the outside. The lingerie concept continues to develop and the leggings suit sees its zip follow the construction of the garment, giving it the illusion of being a suspender belt. This collection thinks inside out and outside in; the top layer as underwear, mixing all the signs and senses!



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Release of the record «How to do that» by Jean-Paul Gaultier in collaboration with Tony Mansfield.
Design of costumes for Peter Greenaway's film «The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover».

1990


SPRING/SUMMER - 90: RAP'SODY IN BLUE

COLLECTION FOR MEN
Classic wardrobe meets sports clothes; jackets, top coats and overcoats with boxers or sweat pants; narrow tops with wide trousers. Still looking at the body in motion, the army battledress with all its pockets is dressed up with taffeta; the motorcyclists? belt shines bright over the shirt and full trousers; the trouser suit emphasizes asymmetry.



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SPRING/SUMMER - 90: LES RAP'IEUSES

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Provocative, they burst from the ground in shafts of light, in a religious flurry, an attack on the image of uniform conformity. The shorts suit, over flowing trousers, the jacket with the cage back, skirts with girdle yokes, zippers begging to be unzipped; femininity rears its powerful head. Jersey, stretch net; the outfit reconstructs the body like the architecture of old-fashioned corsetry. The contrast between the fluidity of viscose mesh, warp and weft underline the theme again and again.



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 90-91: LES PIEDS NICKELES

COLLECTION FOR MEN
Three vital, timeless items - the duffle coat, the bomber jacket and the suit - all inseparable from those who leave their mark and understand what a joke is - are now treated in party style: sequins, frogging and pendants. Far from received wisdom, joggers appear with a gold-sequinned blouson, the jacket has knitted sleeves, the wide, padded braces shine. Everything is done to put life into everyday basics.



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AUTUMN/WINTER - 90-91: PASSES ENFUIS, SOUVENIRS, AINSI PASSE LE TEMPS

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
This collection seems to say «burn all the dead wood»; a collection which mixes opposites. Nomads from the four corners of the planet exhibit their unlikely mixtures. Some of the clothes seem to have fallen into the house painter?s pot, and carry surprising prints! A nomad then mixes them with her Jacquard knit sweaters and catsuits, punctuates them with bright studs - memories of the East - or even with her silver-sequinned sheath. She hangs a boa round her neck, puts a mini-chandelier to her ear... Cubist inspiration; velvets and sequins, gold and garnet, the story of the pomp of a forgotten princess who mixes today?s classics - knitted pullovers, duffle coats, knee-length frock coats - with the shining glories of her former wardrobe. Eclecticism is the key word.



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Design of all costumes for Madonna's "Blond Ambition World Tour 90".

1991


SPRING/SUMMER '91: LE COUPLE, ADAM ET EVE, RASTAS D'AUJOURD'HUI

COLLECTION FOR MEN AND WOMEN
Collection based around the couple, they enter two by two, and show their likes and dislikes through their silhouettes. They are classical - the lining of one outfit is used as the shirt of the other. They are sailors, their identical sailor tops are worn over underskirts or tight-fitting shorts. They are rustics; the flowery combination under the sequinned dress of one outfit becomes the print on the other?s trousers. They are romantics, the catsuit beneath its sheath of lace repeats the material of the other?s suit. They are relaxed, the one?s T-shirt dress worn over an underskirt complements the other?s tank top... And the hems from yesterday?s drapes dominate the collection, adding length to humour!



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Design of Yvette Horner's stage costumes at the Casino de Paris.



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AUTUMN/WINTER 91-92 LE PRISONNIER

COLLECTION FOR MEN
The fundamental problem of the hero is how to escape - he must ransack his reserves of ingenuity to find disguises to leave behind the world which holds him back. Each episode is his personality - each silhouette, his universe. A fur blouson over tapered trousers? A square padded jacket over a tartan jumpsuit? A riding coat over shiny tights with a calligraphic pattern? Everything is allowed, as long as it works!



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AUTUMN/WINTER 91-92: FRENCH CANCAN

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Cora Vaucaire sings about the steps of the Butte, the atmosphere is Jean Renoir?s French Can-Can, dancers La Goulue and Valentin Le Desossé, and the brightly colored hair of Toulouse Lautrec posters. Basic geometric shapes; the square becomes a four-panelled skirt, then a basque of a jacket, followed by a dress with a train. Stripes dominate, colors are bright, the necklines are strewn with Marabou feathers, legs are sheathed in color - this is a story of audacious beauties inspired by their indomitable ancestors.

1992


SPRING/SUMMER - 92: CASANOVA AU GYMNASE

COLLECTION FOR MEN
A place for cross-blends, a gym is also a place to celebrate the body, a place where social membership is abandoned. Motorcyclist leggings with knee pads, jodhpurs, waisted jackets, long skirts split over shorts, frock coats, tight T-shirts, the clothes make a statement about sporting attitudes. They are worked in classic, masculine fabrics, plus stretch fabrics for comfort. Lots of virgin white as required by the cult of the body.



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SPRING/SUMMER 92: CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
The eccentric cousin of a crackpot uncle dreamt up by Jacques Tati cannot be far away from this competition, whose jury no longer knows which way to turn. Everybody is trying to outdo everybody else in seduction, color and daring. Breasts are in pride of place - it is summer after all - in a sheath dress, a very open covering, made of multicolored straps, low-cut directoire-style bustiers within which bright silks glide. Transparent stretch lace dresses cover polka dot prints or plain fabrics; the reefer jacket is worn with a long, laced sheath skirt; the big cat stripes of a panel dress reveal shoulders veiled in tulle, as are the legs. Colors are fresh as turf. Shapes are dynamic and close to the body, volumes are seductive and the gait is ... canine.



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AUTUMN/WINTER 92-93: LES FOUS DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE

COLLECTION FOR MEN
Classic shapes, black and white prints: positive, negative, photographs of faces with today?s look mix and intermix to form a single picture where the borderline between abstract and reality is blurred.



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AUTUMN/WINTER 92-93: EUROPE DE L'AVENIR

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
The influence is folklore, especially tales from the East - red and black dominate with knitwear, long silhouettes. The body and the catsuit have glove-legs borrowed from the jacket. The red sweater has navy stripes at the bottom of its sleeves - a superb trompe-l?oeil. Mix and match as usual, it?s also a collection for scatterbrains. Waistcoats and jackets have eight pockets and are inspired by reporters? jackets. Jackets are playing at being offices; wallets on chains can?t get lost. One goes out for the evening carrying a metal helmet with an integral dressing table - lipstick, compact, mirror, etc.

Jean-Paul Gaultier presents a collection of travel- and movement-inspired furniture at the VIA gallery.

1993


SPRING/SUMMER 93: LES ANDRO-JEANS

COLLECTION FOR MEN
This is the meeting between jeans and classics revisited. The asymmetry is not out of place; one panel of the jacket is shorter than the other to reveal the clothes below; mixtures of colors and prints, more and more silky, more and more flowery, more and more brocaded. Netting T-shirts put a smoke screen with their drawings of revolutionary banknotes, and the tank top now smothers the jacket - the undergarment covers the outer garment!



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SPRING/SUMMER 93:
LES CLASSIQUES GAULTIER REVISITES

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Simple, sober, chic without fuss: this collection is devoted to favorite clothing. The jacket is king with padded shoulders, straight and clean, mixes with the bra, oversize jeans, the classic front-plated trousers, denim bustier and a simple navy sweater. The coat-dress is decorated with open panels to reveal bare flesh or bright stripes; trousers and shorts rise above the breasts. Multi-functional garments appear; one-piece garments which give the impression of being two: the striped navy twin-set drops its sleeves to become a long sweater with American arm holes, the double knee-length dress becomes a long sheath with a train knotted on the hips...



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Launch of the new "Gaultier Jeans" collection.



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Launch of JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER HAUTE PARFUMERIE, his first fragrance for women. The bottle is in the shape of the corset which has become his trademark.



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AUTUMN/WINTER 93-94: LES VIKINGS

COLLECTION FOR MEN
Naturally their caps would include horns! It's the return of men's skirts worn with close-fitting jackets and ample overcoats.



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AUTUMN/WINTER 93-94:
HOMMAGE AU PEUPLE JUIF

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Inspired by the traditional costume of the Hasidic, and especially their long black coats, the line is getting longer and favours the slim bust where the chest is less valued and the waistline less emphasized. The silhouette is now long and straight with jackets whose collars are extended into long ribbons which cross and are tied across the bust, all under heavy coats. Black, whether shiny or matte is everything; a sign of elegance enhanced by satins, taffetas, dark velvets and silver jewellery. Fur makes a comeback. The body is concealed - enclosed but not constrained.

1994


SPRING/SUMMER 94: LA BRUTE ET LE RAFFINE

COLLECTION FOR MEN
A marriage of supposed opposites, this is the alliance between the repressed body and unstructured garments; a game of exchanges between current garments and those we have forgotten. Suits are tapered, borrowing sophisticated materials like brocaded silks and taffetas and take soft, pretty colors.



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SPRING/SUMMER 94: LES TATOUAGES

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
When Joan of Arc passes through Benares, she obviously returns in pieces. Only fragments of her armour remain and she has only saris or Nehru-inspired jackets to wear.
Spiritual meeting or romanticism - the voiles are layered: printed tattoos over real false-skin tattoos, intertwining on the hips and emboldening T-shirts, tank tops, and jackets. The vestiges of a western wardrobe then complete the silhouettes, men?s waistcoats, jackets and trousers, but always flexible. Colors oscillate between sky-blue and silver light; the prints are arabesques, sensual animals and magic symbols all blurring and intermingling - sliding over each other in the movement.



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Launch of a budget-conscious unisex line "JPG".

Design of costumes for Victoria Abril in Pedro Almodovar?s film, "Kika", and Caro and Jeunet's film "City of Lost Children".



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AUTUMN/WINTER 94-95: TARBULLBOUD'DEVILLE

COLLECTION FOR MEN
For the man who is Rasputin, Taras Bulba, Mink de Ville and Buddha all rolled into one, man displays the many sides of his seductive appeal.



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AUTUMN-WINTER 94-95: LE GRAND VOYAGE

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Wishing for a glacial winter, with northerly winds piercing the body through? We could then borrow fleecy skins from Mongolia to get us through the rigours of the season. Yet another a pretext for mix and match, here we are behind the windows of the Trans-Siberian railway, taking in the countryside and the people dotted along the way. Generous shapes, brocaded silks, dragons and treasures; bright orange and the blue of frozen lakes, the culture of the steppes reveals its delights.

1995


SPRING/SUMMER 95:
LATINO LOVER DES ANNEES 40

COLLECTION FOR MEN
He shows off because he knows how good he looks with his narrow shoulders, fine hips, distinct waistline, and his knack of guessing what he doesn't actually know; his velvet-soft looks which are so keen to be admired! So chic and so roguish.



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SPRING/SUMMER 95: FIN DE SIECLE

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
In a museum of antique merry-go-rounds, with the procession led by Madonna pushing a pram, 90% of this collection is dresses which distil the quintessence of those from the 20's. 30's and 40's. Brought right up to date, the dresses use technical gadgetry, coated surfaces, etc.; staples replace zips. The trade becomes increasingly refined.



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Launch of LE MALE, a fragrance for men. Its bottle takes the form of a well-built bust, this time sporting a striped sailor's top.



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AUTUMN/WINTER 95-96:
CAVALIERS, ECUYERS DES TEMPS MODERNES

COLLECTION FOR MEN
In the stalls of the Cirque d'Hiver, with an announcement from a powerfully seductive drag queen, the clothes are in the spirit of the cavaliers, whose Viennese heyday is fixed in all our memories by the cinema. Brightly-colored frock coat suits, Pigalle red and Bagatelle green, jabot shirts rock-star-style or Parisian urchin - that's what today's crazies are all talking about.



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AUTUMN/WINTER 95-96: MAD MAX

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Still fascinated by the notion of travel, now through a universe of comic book characters, Jean-Paul Gaultier subjects this show to the influence of "travellers" ploughing their way through the U.S. on snarling machines. Even through the dust of the Far West, they remain chic and the frock coat takes on velvety fabrics and acidic colors. At the end of the day, the biker nomads reach the eternal snows and party in quilted nylon princess robes!

1996


SPRING/SUMMER 96: PIN'UP BOY'S

COLLECTION FOR MEN
They're all there - detectives, sailors, louts - straight off the comic book pages. Undeniably sexy, they wear their clothes tight on the body, with tears to reveal flesh and pecs, a well-shaped thigh, stomachs exposed to the elements. Trousers flare at the ankle, jackets are absorbed into bare flesh; blousons and T-shirts are ready to come off, the torpor of summer points to adventure.



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SPRING/SUMMER 96: CYBERBABA

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
A full city wardrobe of crudely cut, soft, honey and white leather - classic shapes for a rebellious chic. Not far from this far west city, the animals who inspire the prints used in the fierce stretch sheath dresses are watching and waiting.



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AUTUMN/WINTER 96-97: HOMME COUTURE

COLLECTION FOR MEN
A man's shoulder, like the turn of his waist or ankle, can be just as seductive as those of women. This is the concept behind this collection where the couture tradition, up to and including all its frills, dresses men whose virility is not in question.
Long evening dresses with mink collars open to reveal trousers - tapered trousers whose openings at the calf are decorated with sensuous flowers. Bare backs exploit shiny linings and sensible suits in taffeta, dupions, etc. redefine notions of sensuality.



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AUTUMN/WINTER 96-97: LA BOULE ET LE CUBE

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Homage and a wink in the direction of Dim Dam Dom, the cult fashion television series from the 60's, which shaped his adolescence, the cube is in pride of place (A model repeats in computer-speak: "I am a cube, I am a large cube...") and prevails in the construction of sheath dresses whose volume is accentuated by ribbing and which cling to body without support. The clothes seem to rest on the body, like this cardigan cape kept in perfect balance by two plumb lines. The silhouettes, haughty and graphic, are sketched in bold, nervous, dynamic strokes.

1997


SPRING/SUMMER 97: LA MAISON DES PLAISIRS

COLLECTION FOR MEN
In surroundings which have all the references of the chic brothels and whorehouses where young aristocrats, the handsome nouveau-riches and foreign princes rubbed shoulders before the war, Jean-Paul Gaultier uses history to hybridize his silhouette even further. Crepes, taffetas, moirés and sequins of all kinds; the mens' suits compete with their luxury and subtle mixtures. A tipsy Maharajah has his naval blazer over a striped kilt, a dandy has chosen red polka dot silk for his shirt and matching trousers, and a fair-weather sailor has opted for traditional stripes - red this time - over his trouser-skirt. The colors following the look of the pimps and the harmonies of the Orient.



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SPRING/SUMMER 97: LA PARISIENNE PUNK

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Like a final bastion of impeccable style and fashion, this collection rests on the toss of a coin: Heads - strict and elegant trouser suits whose three pieces - waistcoat, jacket, trousers - form a single garment. Tails - a bare back, sufficiently low-cut that the low lattice and string of color cheekily cover the trouser belt.



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Launch of GAULTIER PARIS, his first couture collection.



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AUTUMN/WINTER 97-98:
FLOWERS POWERS ET SKIN HEADS

COLLECTION FOR MEN
Liberty as the master word and the poetry that goes with it as graphisms
and fake tattoos Peace and Love on shaved heads. A beauty in the
violence of the image and a softness for reality. The silhouette is
lean, the thigh sensible under the pant fabric, the velvet bright coats
on wild prints, the suspenders in trompe l'oeil, the muscles showing
through a T shirt, and all of that under a leather windbreak. A bright
and dynamic collection, nostalgia of a very British rebellion, it plays
with great rigour the assembly of clothes from the 90's.



AUTUMN/WINTER 97-98:
THE BLACK CULTURE AND ITS STRENGTH

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Whether women in booboos from Africa, or beauties from the 30's in-Harlem, they always inspired Jean-Paul GAULTIER. Contrary to the western-silhouettes who give preference to the narrow waist and a body hugged-by the fabric, the black culture is different in its particular-attention to volume and loose silhouettes. The collection therefore goes-in this direction and the classical shapes have been revisited in an-oversize version and worn in layers, colours from the desert, leather-and woollens. The cape effect to muffle up, belted coats on a knit-fitted dress, a leather tunic over a wide printed pant, the clothes-design the silhouette.

1998


SPRING/SUMMER - 98:
THE CHARMS OF FRIDA KALHO

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Frida Kahlo had all it takes to seduce Jean-Paul GAULTIER : a strong caracter, an unusual beauty, talent and impertinence ! This woman, painter from the begining of the century, lived a magnificent love story with the mexican fresco painter Diego Rivera, and continued with her courageous and brilliant engagement, notably communism, until she died. In the form of a tribute to beauty, the collection resumes with a feminity that wants the petticoats long and full, the busts narrow, the low-cuts invaded by ex-votos necklaces. In a market atmosphere, where fruits and flowers compete in exhuberant colours, madonas in printed “voile” petticoats, shiny taffetas, wrinkled cotton take the stage over. The dance petticoats are worn with shirts with sleeves folded over a sweater, or under a fitted waistcoat whose sleeves play with every length and every form. Question of proportion and refusal of tight garments, everything talks of fullness and generosity. Following on the research done by Jean-Paul Gaultier for his Couture collection, he goes on exploring double garments like a one piece twin-set that can be slipped on entirely or partly.
That way popeline dress and shirt play with a seashell effect on a rounded back, or knit dresses sliding on a petticoat, the grandiloquent arms in red and laced-up motorcyclist gloves. Some pant suits, still in the Couture collection, low waist slacks, larges or narrow, audaciously show the lingerie. As far as colours are concerned, they tell of Frida Kahlo’s passion, red, black and virginal white dominate, cheered up by the warm and luminous colours of South America.


SPRING/SUMMER -98:
SEVILLANAS

COLLECTION FOR MEN
Souvenirs of a trip to Andalucia during the holy week, the air full of incense, the suave and persisting perfumes of white flowers, the hooded penitents pounding the floor with their bare feet, the teenagers preceeding the statues entirely clad in white lace. The spring light is beautiful, fresh, the men and the women spirited and light. This collection speaks of an atmosphere where all mingle, the heavy Spanish tradition and will of living. Jean-Paul Gaultier chose the shirt as the summer master piece, a shirt for day and night, in printed cotton or in organdi, tied at the waist, draped, wrapped. The suits, straight, fitted without hugging, make a display of brightness by day and the soft colours, ivory or light pink taffetas, and sometimes, a silver thread for a tennis stripe on supple gabardine or generous and bright flowers on cotton. Playing with scarves listlessly tied for a reminiscence of the 70’s.

AUTUMN/WINTER 98-99:
SAINT GERMAIN DES PRES

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Parisian, so Parisian. Jean-Paul Gaultier this season revives the mood and choice of styles to create an atmosphere of the cellars of Saint-Germain des Prés, the voice of Boris Vian, the silhouette of Juliette Gréco, the "heady" atmosphere of nocturnal jams, the reality of easy chic, the mixture once again renewed. New proportions skirts are long, very long, under duffle and classic coats, large sweaters that envelope the body, unusual large pants and oversized jackets. The joyful colours running from camel, taupe brown to deepest black, the iridescent taffetas answer the golden tones of the jazzy trumpet. Within the same spirit, double face reversible, two long dresses in one, bold seams showing... The beret, the dark glasses, the spiced-up nonchalance of the Saint Germain des Prés muses and the tune is set for Autumn Winter.


AUTUMN/WINTER 98-99:
ITALIAN STYLE

COLLECTION FOR MEN
Simplicity, Italian Style. What can be more striking than a live choir of young children singing hymns. This angelic background provides for Autumn Winter the ultimate simplicity, no need for spectacular effects! The sheer lightness of the garments signifies the simplicity. Without the need for lining: which burdens the clothing, Jean-Paul Gaultier purifies and lightens with special attention to the finishing touches. The double face fabrics are a tribute to the unstructured suiting in canvas and quilting, finding itself naked, yet covered with a very chic skin. The materials work for themselves, choosing the garments, colours opt for Black or Natural tone, the effects being limited to the contrast of shine and mat. Suits, fitted or double breasted, soft straight shoulders worn with a classic shirt, or draped and knotted collar, waistcoats or cropped lightweight knit sweaters. Elastic waists, borrowed from jogging suits or perhaps hooded sweatshirts worn between shirt ad coat. Shades of blue that make us dream of unexplored skies ad seas...

1999


SPRING/SUMMER - 99
GEISHAS IN TECHNICOLOR

COLLECTION FOR MEN
From his numerous trips to Japan, Jean-Paul Gaultier has kept images, souvenirs, harmonies and colours, and a particular way of playing with brightness. This new collection has kept its quintessence, which memory has little by little transformed.
At the same time, Jean-Paul Gaultier has evolved in his comprehension of the body and has rendered the body itself totally indissociable from the garment that dresses it.
The fashion show for the S/S 99 season started in the atmosphere of the workshop of the sculptor who, from a piece of clay, shapes the form, the figure of a Venus or of an Apollo.
What is left of these mixings ? A vivid white for suits, blouses with gathering and transformable drawstrings, subtle fluttering and transparencies arranged on the body. The coat falls off one shoulder, the kimono jacket is wrapped around the torso, the whole garment, as if barely finished, tells of the construction of the garment or of the fragility of the body.
Then come geishas in Technicolor who, little by little, compete with audacity to become hippie for a day ... This emancipation already exists in the vocabulary of the traditional Japanese fashion which envelops the body in an iron like kimono but leaves the acid colours burst, the fantasy express itself in the mix of brilliance and flatness. The kimono is the master piece, expressed in an impeccable coat over large and straight pants, the new suit in black with a crimson lining. It also becomes a coat superimposed over a flowing kimono or an organza blouse over an athletic tank top. All is said : a sport tank top over a wide legged pant, both belonging to the Western wardrobe, covered with a chiffon kimono and bright satin, striped cotton or shining gold obi.
Some coated fabrics, a lot of bright prints, the accent on the décolleté which slides and uncovers the shoulder, winks like this blue jeans under a white chiffon kimono with its jeans obi, bright satin corsets which lacing become entangled with the obi.
A detail that is very important this season : the fabric loop under the arms and behind the neck, a new kind of graphism and a compulsory deportment.

SPRING/SUMMER - 99
SIROCCO AND FEELINGS

COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
A pair of jeans under a black smoking jacket and a white shirt, that is the elegant silhouette of the season, an homage to Serge Gainsbourg. This mythic silhouette quickly opens to show a bejewelled torso and the variation around the model finally opts for a light shantung, in the movement of the body, and a spirit in monochrome black, purple, brown or silver.

But summer is also synonymous with heat, therefore let’s not hesitate : layered briefs and of course two tank tops, a bag and a leather cloche hat, every globetrotter in the world will be fashionable. Always a very smart detail, the pocket on the front of the T-shirts, the net fabric humorously transparent, the harmonies of tea and coffee colours to mingle with the heat and torpor of summer.

Some short lumber jackets on an almost trapezoid jeans with its washed-out buttoned fly, the historical association of Jean-Paul Gaultier with navy blue, egg-pant red and white. This is the relaxed urban version.




2000


SUMMER 00
COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
This Summer Collection carries a taste of holidays. Bright colours, prints like improvised spots, lightness of material, fluid shapes that leave the body free to walk in a procession amidst the decor of palm trees, tropical plants and pools. You feel like you are in the Caribbean. Priority is given to colour : turquoise, bright green, lemon, fuchsia on light jersey knits, evident on prints and jewellery, wigs, make-up, pumps and sandals, even to the tip of the toes. Sun and heat call for tank tops, tunics, skirts and trousers waist falling open to reveal a bathing suit. Ruffles and fringes participate in this “caught in a draught “ mood of fashion. Its a festival of boat necks, deep neckline tank tops, draw-strings and dresses like pareos hanging from necklaces that uncover tanned shoulders.
All this exuberance is, from time to time, silenced by punctuation’s of black, or total white, images of freshness. Heat and fun, this is the summer of bright colours, a medley of colours, wraps, asymmetry, veils and feather- light fabrics.

SUMMER 00
COLLECTION FOR WOMEN
Panama, flower necklaces, long hair, the tune is set for an elegance from far-away lands : West Indies, hippy, Bob Marley, the references are light entertaining, the elegance forever present. Light fabrics and colours from vanilla to ebony via all shades of cacao and coffee. And black, so chic in the sun. T-shirts, tank tops, shirts are layered. The shirts without buttoning, wrapped tight before being inserted in the narrow unpleated pants. Two-piece pant suits, real or fake, are like strict and impeccable uniforms. Coats are have narrow lapels, the shoulder neat and natural, worn in a classical manner with a pant and shirt or in the Hawaiian style on colourful printed pareos, flower necklaces and sandals.
Relaxation and comfort for sporty outfits inspired by jogging suits, over-sized trousers, bush jackets and a small Kway like wardrobe: pants, tank tops, lumber jackets that can be folded into their own drawstring pocket : freedom and lightness ! In other words a summer where comfort and elegance go hand in hand !









LA PERLA
A lingerie workshop created in Bologna in 1954 by the founder Ada Masotti was the embryo from which La Perla Fashion Group has grown. These craft-based origins have remained impressed in the genetic code of the company which, under the leadership of her son Alberto Masotti, has become a leader in underwear and beachwear.
The importance attached to design, coupled with a profound understanding of the female body, the blend of tradition and innovation, and the pursuit of totally quality, are the group's other 'chromosomes', accompanied by a strong focus on image and communication.

La Perla Fashion Group is based in Bologna and is organised around several divisions, each specialising in a specific product type. In 1998, the women's underwear, beachwear, nightwear and men's wear divisions were joined by a new line of apparel.


This was a major new challenge that led to the launch of the La Perla Prêt-à-Porter line and which, in summer 2001, will make its entry to the world of freewear with the La Perla Open Space line.


Over the years, La Perla Fashion Group has sought to diversify both the styling and target of its creations through a range of brands:
LA PERLA
(underwear, prêt-à-porter, beachwear, nightwear)
LA PERLA STUDIO
(underwear, beachwear and activewear)
MALIZIA by La Perla
(underwear, beachwear, nightwear)
MARVEL by La Perla
(underwear, beachwear, prêt-à-porter)
OCCHIVERDI by La Perla Fashion Group
(underwear, beachwear, nightwear)
ANNACLUB, OCEANO e AQUASUIT
(beachwear)
JOELLE
(nightwear)
GRIGIOPERLA is the male market brand offering a spectrum of products ranging from underwear and nightwear through to homewear, beachwear, shirts and accessories.
GRIGIOSPORT is the sportswear side of GRIGIOPERLA.

The La Perla and Grigioperla brands have also been strengthened through licensing deals in scent, eyewear and children's wear collections.

Internationally, La Perla Fashion Group deploys an extensive commercial network based on subsidiaries (Germany, France, Spain and the United States) and sole importers. As well as being present with its brands in top specialist outlets and department stores, La Perla Fashion Group has set up a chain of boutiques, both directly owned and franchises, situated in major capitals around the world, including Milan, Rome, New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Madrid, Moscow, Hong Kong and Sydney.

Gruppo La Perla Spa
- Press Office
Via del Fonditore 12
40138 Bologna (Italy)
Tel: 051 6019611
- Show Room
Via Borgospesso 21
Milano (Italy)
Tel: 02 76021298

  KRIZIA
Krizia: Spring-Summer Collection 2000
The first spring of the new millennium is a free zone.
We can measure up against its wide open spaces – all yet to be described.
With the light of summer, with the earth, plants, the sea, the sky, cyberspace.
Superintelligent technologies?
Restless mutation?
A nascent state of fashion will be a prime necessity.
In tune with the basic truth. As the crow flies.

Thus: floating details and tails.
Featherlight giant parkas which inflate like a parachute. A lot of bias cutting, high heels or bare feet.
The short and the extremely short but also a new length which requires purity and geometry.
Assymetric hemlines.
Minute tops, brief shirts, small jackets with tight-fitting sleeves.
(The large oversize is for fearherweight knits, and coveralls).
Wide bands around the bust and the hips.
White backless pinafore tops.
Necklace clasps to fasten jackets and shirts.
Long thin intriguing laces holding up dresses and skirts, slotted through buttonholes and belt tabs, lacing up detachable collars, hinting at non-existent tucks.

Thirst-quenching colours (aniseed blue, lemon yellow, Caribbean lime green, sorbet white).
Dulcet colours (pink, mauve, old rose, powder pink, wood, sand).
Inflamed colours: red and fuchsia both alone and overlayed. Long brushstrokes of fuchsia and white on black like magmatic slits, incandescent streams on carbonised lava.
Black like volcanic oxydian.
Flowers, printed, embroidered, cutout and applied. Corolla buds so dilated to become an abstract sign like nuclear art. Embroidered pearl flowers on pocket purses or on naked tulle.

Metallized cotton, crisp and crumpled. Leather. Pure silk. Lurex cotton. Much linen. A loose knit. A veil of knit in silk and cashmire. Satinized sequins everywhere. Silicone as a universal sealant.

ALBERTA FERRETTI
THE PHILOSOPHY OF PHILOSOPHY


YOU ARE YOU. Free in a world taking shape in harmony with the new Age.Universal symbols of Conscience, Peace, Love energize and trasform the traditional concepts of Earth, Sex, Money. An interior being that must be immediately visible throught the total style, from clothes to accessories to interior dcor. Whoever encounters you must grasp your spirit on the spot. No mediation. Immediacy calls the shots; it sparks your personal uniqueness.

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

RALPH LAUREN
What began as a tie 33 years ago has grown into an entire world that has redefined how American style and quality is perceived. Polo has always been about selling quality products by creating worlds and inviting our customers to be part of our dream. We were the first to create lifestyle advertisements that tell a story. We were the first to create stores that enable customers to interact with that lifestyle.
Now we're creating another firstPolo.com. This holiday season you'll have the chance to step into the next generation of the Polo experience. At Polo.com, you'll be able to find great products, read about adventure, style and culture, find amazing vintage pieces, buy unique gifts, take trips that transport you into the world of Polo and a lot more. Back when all this started, I felt that there were no boundaries for Polo. I'm even more sure of that today.

ALBERTA FERRETTI