Spring Couture 25 - Jean Paul Gaultier

Yesterday, Gaultier headquarters were engulfed by the creative vision of the youngest guest designer for the French house, Ludovic de Saint Sernin . The collection was titled ‘Le Naufrage’ which means the shipwreck. Ludovic is the eighth - and according to the rumour mill, final! - guest designer to take the reins following in the footsteps of Chitose Abe, Glenn Martens, Olivier Rousteing, Haider Ackermann, Julien Dossena, Simone Rocha and Nicholas Di Felice.

The sensuality of LdSS’ creativity interspersed with JPG’s house codes provided a truly fantastical collection. The looks went from magnificently captivating mermaids and mermen to winged, wild and wonderful fairy. The transition from mythological creatures and sea beings to what appeared to be shipwrecked humans, fresh from a luxurious ship, was seamless.

There were dresses and tuxedos, corsets and beads, feathers and latex; everything

combined cohesively to produce a captivating story. One of crocodiles, fish, mermaids and a bride and her merry band of castaways reeling from an ill fated cruise. Saint Sernin’s undeniably bold vision was brought to life expertly by the talented tailors and seamstresses at JPG. The resulting collection as whimsical as it was luxurious.

The codes of theatrical sexuality, vibrant eroticism and mind bending craftwork which have reigned at Jean Paul Gaultier were apparent in this latest. Saint Sernin paid homage to Jean Paul whilst retaining his own vision; palpable was the ideology Saint Sernin has established at his eponymous label. The collection was narratively driven, full of delightful eccentricity and accented with the just right dosage of reverence given to the erstwhile collections of the French legend.