Jean Paul Gaultier is a French fashion designer known for his unconventional designs featuring corsets, marinières, and tin cans. He was born on April 24, 1952, in Arcueil, a suburb of Paris, France. Gaultier’s mother worked as a clerk, and his father worked as an accountant. His maternal grandmother, Marie Garrabe, introduced him to the world of fashion.
From a young age, Jean Paul was drawn to beauty. He preferred watching movies and creating design sketches for his teddy bear over typical boyish games. He spent his time drawing and browsing fashion magazines, supported by his parents’ encouragement. They fostered his passion for fashion and allowed him to pursue it.
At the age of 18, Gaultier sent his fashion design sketches to the renowned Pierre Cardin and received not only high praise but also an invitation to work as Cardin’s personal assistant. This unexpected success led Gaultier to start his fashion career in the capital of fashion. After a year at Cardin’s fashion house, he joined Jean Patou’s. In 1974, Gaultier returned to Cardin’s fashion house to create a collection of clothes for the United States, which took him a whole year.
In 1976, with the support of his school friends Francis Menuge and Donald Potard, Gaultier launched his own brand. His early work showcased his individuality and passion for mixing different materials and styles. Initially, his shows lacked media attention, but Gaultier learned from his mistakes. He realized that scandal and shock were effective means of advertising. As a result, he started showcasing his collections in unusual places like a carousel museum, a tram depot, and a former prison. He also challenged beauty standards by featuring not only traditional skinny young models but also plus-size and elderly models on his catwalks. This earned him the nickname “enfant terrible” or “unbearable child” in French.
Between 1984 and 1985, Gaultier presented several more collections. One of his notable shows featured models wearing underwear, corsets, and pointed bras, which received criticism. He also challenged gender norms by creating outfits consisting of vests and skirts for men. During this period, Gaultier aimed to break the stereotypical division between men’s and women’s clothing.
In 1993, Gaultier released his first perfume.
In terms of his personal life, Gaultier had one true love, his friend, business partner, and life partner Francis Menuge. After 15 years of marriage, Menuge passed away in 1990. Initially, Gaultier contemplated leaving the fashion world or disbanding his company to work for other fashion houses. However, he realized that Menuge would not want that outcome, so he decided to continue his work in the fashion industry.
