ABSTRACT

Known for the irreverence and humour of his designs, Gaultier’s forte is the glamorization of street style at couture level. He established his house in 1977 and his first menswear line in 1984. His eclectic references range from punk to Victorian underwear, and his corset designs for Madonna’s ‘Blonde Ambition’ tour received global attention. Gaultier’s technical virtuosity, gleaned from his training at traditional French couture houses, allows him to play with conventional ideas of gender and manipulate body forms through careful tailoring. He has hit the headlines frequently with his skirts and corsets for men, and also for his costumes for Besson’s Le Cinquième Élément (1997).