Jean Paul Gaultier is famed for his postmodern blend of eras and histories, looking to all corners of the world for inspiration. For example, the French designer’s A/W 2001 haute-couture collection revelled in the seduction of 1920s and 1930s Shanghai, as well as the sensuality of traditional Spanish costume. ‘The idea was to bring together everything that you imagine when you think of China – theatre, movement, colour, history and richness,’ said Jean Paul Gaultier at the time.
And so the collection featured lustrous leather qipao, fringed pagoda-shoulder jackets, naturalistic and Chinese script motifs, and swathes of brocade, Oriental jacquard and sequin, while catwalk looks were titled ‘Nuit de Chine,’ ‘Fu Manchu’ and ‘Shanghai Express’. Standout was a silk-satin sheath in lustrous purple featuring an open back festooned with 3D leaves and butterflies. Critics wrote that the collection featured ‘dragon-embroidered coats and Mandarin-collar tunics that would have made dowager Empress Tzu Hsi green with envy.’
Lelievre, Rock Fabric, 2012
Gaultier has also celebrated oriental aesthetics in his collaboration with French fabric and wallpaper company Lelièvre. The brand’s 2012 ‘Rock’ fabric celebrated the Chinese Year of the Dragon, with tattoo-inspired prints featuring koi carps, dragons, flames and red roses, whereas its recent Voyages Voyages collection includes inky floral prints and peonies – a popular Chinese symbol – tessellated in contemporary, pixelated forms.
Jean Paul Gaultier, Haute Couture, A/W01
Jean Paul Gaultier, Haute Couture, A/W01
Jean Paul Gaultier.
INFORMATION
-
Aarke has created the ultimate collection for caffeine lovers, the Aarke Coffee SystemThe new Aarke Coffee System consists of three elegant components, part of the Swedish company’s ongoing quest to reshape the world of appliances
-
The breathtaking runway sets of S/S 2025, from beanbag animals to a twisted living roomWallpaper* picks the best runway sets and show spaces of fashion month, which featured Bottega Veneta’s beanbag menagerie, opulence at Saint Laurent, and artist collaborations at Acne Studios and Burberry
-
Apple’s Alan Dye and Molly Anderson discuss the design of Apple Watch Series 10In addition to the Apple Watch Series 10, Apple has also introduced a new black titanium finish for the premium Apple Watch Ultra 2; here’s what’s new
-
Bottega Veneta constructs ‘invisible' pop-up in ShanghaiConceived by creative director Daniel Lee, the three metre-high, 100 sq m mirrored cuboid continues Bottega Veneta’s subversive denouncement of self-promotion
-
Ripple effect: Trongyee’s undulating Shantou boutiqueShenzen-based firm AD Architecture has conceived a rippling, pared-back retail design for Shantou, China-located luxury womenswear boutique Trongyee
-
The China List: Chanel, FashionWallpaper* and China’s Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development Fund (CHSDF) present China By Design—a celebration of Chinese cultural heritage and the many global creatives who have been inspired by it. Explore the full list here.
-
Playing it spool inside Annakiki’s thread-stacked boutique -
Atelier Tao+c designs monochrome multi-brand boutique in Zhengzhou -
AIM designs steely cosmetics boutique in Hong Kong -
Inside SND’s ceremonial boutique in China’s Chongqing -
Eckhaus Latta opens first store in New York City’s Chinatown
