Jean Paul Gaultier’s Runway Farewell

This morning, Jean Paul Gaultier announced via social media that his upcoming show in Paris would be his last. He assured people that his couture label, Gaultier Paris, will go on with a new concept and that he will continue to lead the brand. This got me thinking a lot about his previous shows, he’s championed diversity and confronted gender stereotypes head on from the beginning and he knew how to put on a show that got people talking. One of my favourite shows was the Spring 1998 ready to wear. Although Gaultier stopped producing ready to wear in 2014, citing the aesthetic constraints of mass produced collections, his ready to wear shows will live on in fashion history as works of creative genius. Impressive for a designer who had no formal training. 

SPRING 1998 READY TO WEAR COLLECTION

This collection was inspired by Marilyn Manson and Frida Kahlo, but it’s the Kahlo references that stand out the most for me and are the reason why I love the show so much.

Set amongst a fruit and vegetable market, models walked around and at times stopped to talk to each other. A lot of the women sported monobrows and beaded shoulder skimming earrings, classic Kahlo trademarks.

In look 4, model Julia Schönberg wore a black leather harness that appears to reference Kahlo’s 1944 painting ‘The Broken Column.’ It’s interesting to see designers referencing different aspects of Kahlo’s work, not just the floral crowns and monobrows that are used so much. 

This was followed by a model who pulled down the sleeve of his jacket to reveal the infamous Communist symbol of a hammer and sickle oh his shoulder. Frida was an active member of the Mexican Communist Party and considered herself ‘a daughter of the revolution.’ Another more subtle nod to Frida’s affiliation with communism was the red tie Linda Evangelista wore with a white shirt dress. 

Lots of the women wore suits, including a gorgeous oversized white pinstripe ensemble which was styled with an off white fedora. Frida was renowned for switching between fiercely feminine dresses and three-piece suits whenever she felt like it. Jewelled crosses hung from some of the models’ necks. Kahlo was raised Catholic and although she would go on to renounce her faith, religious themes appeared frequently throughout her work.

In 1937 a photo of Kahlo, taken by Toni Frissell, was featured in Vogue. In the photo Kahlo holds a magenta coloured scarf above her head. In look 62 a similar looking scarf is draped over the models head who wears a long ruffled-hem skirt, much like the one Frida wears in the photo.

My favourite look from the collection is the dusky pink, satin trouser suit worn by Raica Oliveira. The jacket is left open revealing a bra in the same colour. The look is styled with red and white tie-dye effect shorts that are worn high waisted underneath the trousers that sit low on Oliveira’s hips. I love the colour palette of this look, pink and red are an iconic duo and the light feminine shade of pink against the deep seductive red are perfect together. The look is accessorised with a silver plaited necklace and red heart pendant that sits just above the bra. The models hair is styled up and decorated with crimson red flowers that look beautiful against her dark black hair. 

ALL RUNWAY IMAGES FROM VOGUE RUNWAY