Jean Paul Gaultier is known as l’enfant terrible in French fashion. This is a term used to characterize those who are very straight forward in perhaps an offensive way. Translated the term is “the terrible child” as this individual is considered very rough and crude.
Amazingly Jean Paul Gaultier never trained or studied fashion. Rather in the early 1970s he began by submitting his sketches to various fashion houses. It was Pierre Cardin who first noticed him and gave him a chance as a personal assistant. By 1976, after various jobs in multiple fashion houses, he was ready to branch out on his own and created his first line.
There are a couple of standout moments for this enfant terrible. For example, he has created the costumes for many different music stars like Madonna, Marilyn Mansin, Leslie Cheung, and Kylie Minogue. The cone shaped breasts that made Madonna so famous in her Bkond Ambition Tour also put Jean Paul on the map. He’s known for his amazing corseted braziers–the cone shaped one Madonna wore being one of the most famous. Also, he’s daring in his fashion shows with his demonstrations of mixing up genders. For example he created a show with men all in kilted skirts. Finally one last iconic look present in Gaultier’s lines is the famous French sailor striped shirt, yet he seems to add a little edge to this timeless classic.
Jean Paul Gaultier is now 61. He’s been enjoying over 40 years in the industry. It’s evident he has many more creative years to come–especially with the reputation of being l’enfant terrible!
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