Gaultier, Jean Paul, << goh tee AY, zhawn pawl >> (1952-…), is an influential French fashion designer. He has designed both couture (custom-made) and ready-to-wear clothes for men and women. Gaultier has been called the “bad boy” of fashion because of his provocative garments and runway shows.
Jean Paul Gaultier was born on April 24, 1952, in Arcueil, France, a suburb of Paris. He became fascinated with fashion as a child and created garments for his teddy bear . The French fashion designer Pierre Cardin hired Gaultier when he turned 18 on the basis of his imaginative sketches. Gaultier never had formal training in fashion. He developed his design skills through his work with Cardin and other fashion houses, such as that of the French designer Jean Patou.
Gaultier presented his first collection of women’s fashion in October 1976. In 1982, he established his own business and, two years later, introduced a line of clothing for men. In the late 1980’s and the 1990’s, Gaultier created lines of blue jeans , collections for juniors (younger women), and accessories and perfumes. He also designed male-influenced jackets and trousers for women, as well as skirts for men. In his designs, Gaultier turned underwear into outerwear by re-introducing corsetry (foundation garments) into high fashion. One of his most influential associations is with the rock star Madonna. He designed the costumes for her “Blonde Ambition World Tour.”
Gaultier founded his own fashion house in 1997. His couture and ready-to-wear lines are noted for their imaginative and provocative styles. Still, fashion journalists consider his clothes ultimately wearable and beautifully made. From 2003 to 2011, Gaultier was the head designer at the luxury French fashion house Hermès. In 2014, Gaultier stopped producing ready-to-wear lines in order to concentrate on couture design. In 2020, he held what he said would be his last fashion show.
