Tuesday, August 7, 2012

The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier, Part I

I'm obsessed with corsets.

It should come as no surprise, then, that I about lost my head when I visited the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit at the de Young last weekend. There are really no words to describe the intricacy of Gaultier's pieces. I'm the ultimate perfectionist when it comes to sewing and Gaultier's couture is flawless. My sad little iPhone took less-than-stunning photos, but I still couldn't help snapping a million shots.

Gaultier's salute to San Francisco (left), Gaultier's model manifesto (right)

I adore Jean Paul Gaultier's aesthetic and affection for the female form, but what has always struck me is his regular use of non-traditional models in his runway shows, including Crystal Renn in 2005 and Beth Ditto in 2010.

Ex-Voto Gown (top left), Dolorès Gown (top right, center)
Immaculata Dress (bottom) - all 2007

Auréole Gown, 2007

I would be hard-pressed to choose a favorite gown from this show, but the Auréole Gown was definitely up there. It was made from a mountain of silk tulle, which was delicately pleated, then topped with meticulous beading. Absolutely stunning.

Apparitions Gown, 2007

Sirene-Reine Gown, 2008

Gaultier's obsession with mermaids is apparent - he used shells and fish scales heavily as motifs for his spring /summer 2008 haute couture collection.

Bal de Sirenes Gown, 2008

A bit of history...

Jean Paul Gaultier's teddy bear is wearing lipstick and eye shadow and that, mes amis, is an awesome thing. The designer made a cone bra for Nana out of newspaper and thus began his foray into all things underwear.

Shots from the Boudoir room...

The entrance to the Boudoir had me falling all over myself. I could see gorgeous steamer trunk-inspired furniture, satiny bullet bras and corsets everywhere. A dream come true.

This corset dress was made entirely of ribbon - paging HCH!

From left to right: Pleated Corset, Corset from the Countryside Babes collection, Madonna's iconic cone-bra corset from her Blonde Ambition tour (1990), Alligator Corset

I have so many more pictures to share, so stay tuned for more.

In the meantime, did you see the exhibit? What did you think?

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