Jean Paul Gaultier
| Jean-Paul Gaultier | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
24 April 1952 Arcueil, Val-de-Marne, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Partner(s) | Francis Menuge |
| Relatives | Richard Bernard Gauthier |
| Website | www |
| Labels | Jean-Paul Gaultier Hermès (2003 to 2010) |
Jean-Paul Gaultier (French: [ʒɑ̃ pɔl ɡotje]; born 24 April 1952 in Arcueil, Val-de-Marne, France) is a French haute couture and prêt-à-porter fashion designer. Gaultier was the creative director of Hermès from 2003 to 2010. Jean-Paul Gaultier co-presented the popular television series Eurotrash with Antoine de Caunes.
Gaultier grew up in the suburb of Paris. His mother was a clerk and his father an accountant. It was his maternal grandmother, Marie Garrabe, who introduced him to the world of fashion. He never received formal training as a designer. Instead, he started sending sketches to famous couture stylists at an early age. Pierre Cardin was impressed by his talent and hired him as an assistant in 1970. Afterwards he worked with Jacques Esterel in 1971 and Jean Patou later that year, then returning to manage the Pierre Cardin boutique in Manila for a year in 1974.
His first individual collection was released in 1976, and his characteristic irreverent style dating from 1981 has led to his being known as the enfant terrible of French fashion. Many of Gaultier's following collections have been based on street wear, focusing on popular culture, whereas others, particularly his haute couture collections, are very formal yet at the same time unusual and playful.
Although most people found his designs decadent at the time, fashion editors, notably Melka Tréanton of Elle, Claude Brouet and Catherine Lardeur of French Marie Claire, were impressed by his creativity and mastery of tailoring and later launched his career. In 1985, he introduced man-skirts and promoted their use, especially kilts, in men's wardrobe, and the release of designer collections. Gaultier has also worked in close collaboration with Wolford Hosiery.
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