Jean Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier- the Bad Boy Designer
Jean Paul Gaultier is a French designer that was born in France in 1952. If there were a few words to describe this designer’s style it would be sexy and avant-garde. Perhaps one of the most remarkable things about this designer is that he had zero formal training. Despite the fact that he did not go to school for fashion when he was a child, he was significantly influenced by his grandmother. According to the designer, he was especially fascinated when he found her corsets. And by the time he was thirteen years old, he designed an entire collection for her and his mother.
At the young age of eighteen years old, he worked at the house of Pierre Cardin. The following year he went on to Jacques Esterel. The year 1976 was especially important for the French designer because he launched his own fashion line and executed his first run way show. They were both a big success for the French designer. And in 1982, he was able to get the funding to debut his first design house. The year after, he designed another one of his most famous looks- the corset dress. During this time, the designer was also known for revolutionizing the fashion world by creating transgender trends. His hard work during the 80’s won him the title of Chevalier in France. This is a high title to receive in a country that is fashion forward and full of talented designers.
In the 1990s, the designer really started to expand his horizons. Despite the fact that he experienced a significant loss in 1990 when his partner, Francis, died of AIDS-his career continued to soar. His most famous style and design is the cone bra which Madonna sported during her famous Blond Ambition Tour. Both Madonna and the designer got international acclaim for the super sexy style. No one had ever seen anything like it before. This famous design can still be seen on his perfume and cologne bottles. Some of the major motion pictures that show case his designs includes the Fifth Element, Kika, and much more. The costumes which he designed in the movie Fifth Element got better reviews and acclaim than the actual movie. Both the National Review and People Weekly noted the character’s style and costumes. He also created numerous looks for the mega rock super star, Marilyn Manson. Gaultier’s success continued to soar as he worked with more movie producers, singers, and actresses.
He launched his first perfume called “Classique” in 1993. The fragrance was an instant hit and encouraged him to release “Le Mâle” –for men in 1995. And despite the fact that this fragrance has been around for almost 20 years, the cologne continues to be a big success in Europe and the United States. His perfume is just as over the top and delicious as he is. Jean Paul also continues to be successful and blesses multiple industries with his artistic touch. His first swim-wear collection line debuted in 2011. And the next year, he was hired by Coca Cola to be a creative director for promoting Diet Coke. One of his tasks was to design limited edition bottles.
Another thing that Gaultier will always be remembered for is his over the top run way shows. He is one of the only fashion designers in history to use unconventional looking models during his shows, including people that are overweight and others who are ugly. The fact that he does not have to dress the stereotypical thin and gorgeous super model is indicative of his versatility and talent. People pay hundreds of dollars to be able to watch his shows and see what he is going to come out with next. Some of the super star faces that have been spotted at his shows include Jack Nicholson and Grace Jones. His past collections and designs have also inspired other designers.