The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier

Left: Paolo Roversi, Tanel Bedrossiantz, 1992. Barbès collection. Women’s prêt-à-porter fall/winter 1984–1985. Digital print © Paolo Roversi. Center: Jean Paul Gaultier. Fishnet tights, Parisiennes collection, haute couture fall/winter 2010-2011© Patrice Stable/Jean Paul Gaultier. Right: Photo by Jerry Pigeon (Studio JPG)

The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk

March 24, 2012 - August 19, 2012

Dubbed fashion’s enfant terrible, Jean Paul Gaultier launched his first prêt-à-porter collection in 1976 and founded his own couture house in 1997. Emerging as a designer in the 1970s, he developed his own dress codes that reflected the changing world around him. The openly gay Gaultier uses his designs to tackle gender and transgender issues through androgynous, gender-bending styles, meanwhile delving even further into some of the darker areas of the sexual revolution. Always provocative, he addresses issues of multiculturalism by bringing ethnic diversity to the Paris runway. Despite the gritty and sometimes controversial context of his collections, the clothes remain beautiful, superbly crafted with the finest dressmaking and detailing skills.

This dynamic, multimedia exhibition will include 140 haute couture and prêt-à-porter designs created between the mid-1970s and 2010, along with numerous sketches, archival documents, fashion photographs, and video clips that spotlight Gaultier’s collaborations with filmmakers, choreographers, and musicians, most notably Madonna. For this presentation, Gaultier partnered with the Montreal-based theater company Ubu Compagnie de Création in the design of 30 animated mannequins who talk and sing in playful and poetic vignettes.

Credit Line 

The Exhibition The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk is organized by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in collaboration with the Maison Jean Paul Gaultier. JoliCoeur International is the official supplier of mannequins for the exhibition.

Lead Sponsor

Nordstrom

Sponsors

Suzy Kellems Dominik
Yurie and Carl Pascarella

Supporting Sponsors

Academy of Art University, Dr. Elisa Stephens, President
Paula and Bandel Carano
Emma and Fred Goltz
Mary Beth and David Shimmon
Lonna Wais

Couture Circle

Ramune Ambrozaitis
Rosemary Baker
Sloan and Roger Barnett
Mr. Riccardo Benavides
Joy Venturini Bianchi
Marissa Mayer and Zachary Bogue
Carol and Shelby Bonnie
Victoire and Owsley Brown
Barbara Brown
Dr. Carolyn Chang
Mrs. Julienne Weston and Mr. T. Kevin Coker
Richard Beleson and Skye Drynan
Juliet de Baubigny
Vanessa Getty
Lucy and William Hamilton
Katherine Harbin
Laure Fullerton Headrick and Chris C. Headrick
Beth Izmirian
Mr. and Mrs. Garland M. Lasater III
Carson and Suzanne Levit
Ann Ferrell and Steve Millham
Milbourne Finley and Thomas Mowery
Stephanie Petit
OJ and Gary Shansby
Allison Speer
T. Peter Thomas and Jacqueline Stewart
Katie and Todd Traina
Trevor and Alexis Traina
Gwynned Vitelllo
Elizabeth W. Vobach
Lisa and James Zanze

Hotel Partner

The Fairmont, San Francisco