February 4, 2015

By Contributor

Photo Courtesy of Maya Choquet 

Vancouver, Canada – When Jean-Paul Gaultier retired his “ready-to-wear” line in September 2014, the entire fashion industry was anxious to see what his next move would be.

Retiring the “ready-to-wear” line was a shocking decision, but it allowed for more freedom and time for Gautier to dedicate his energy to his other creative projects. As every designer is an artist, at heart, and no artist wants to be eternally confined by the limitations of ready-to-wear clothing, the decision makes sense for the 62 year old designer.

Retiring the ready-to-wear line gave Gaultier a lot more room to flex his creative muscle, and Jean-Paul has now focused his energy on his haute couture line, which was recently showcased at Paris fashion week.

His wedding-themed Spring Summer 2015 show was nothing short of spectacular, with celebrity supermodel Naomi Campbell owning the runway at 44 years of age. The show featured edgy bridal gowns complete with pant suits, along with short and long princess skirts. Gaultier also played marvelously with color, utilizing black satin, ivory, snakeskin and crinoline to mesmerizing effect.

Putting together 61 wedding looks is not an easy task. Most couturiers include one wedding look at the tail end of their shows. However with the retirement of the ready-to-wear line, Gaultier was able to devote an unprecedented amount of time and energy into a niche show, and the public has been rewarded with a beautiful and timeless collection.

Gaultier’s new-found freedom has also allowed him to collaborate with other designers more frequently and to create unique looks for the likes of Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard. The elegant Parisian has dazzled in Gaultier before and is predicted to do so once more at this year’s Academy Awards. If Cotillard does wear Gaultier again, it will be interesting to see if she dons something from the recent haute couture show or a bespoke design. Either way, Jean-Paul Gaultier is sure to make her dazzle as she hits the red carpet.