Gaultier Paris: Homage to Pierre Cardin

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Jan 24, 2018

Pierre Cardin is the gift that keeps on giving. The world’s oldest couturier, still steady on his feet at 95, showed up front row for the latest haute collection of Gaultier Paris. Which his former assistant Jean-Paul Gaultier generously dedicated to Cardin.
 

Staged before a series of changing light tableaux which recalled Cardin’s many eras from his early Futurism to later Pop Star styles and bold 60s psychedelic graphics.
 
“Pierre Cardin is a marvel. And, I find it normal to pay homage to a designer who has opened so many doors for all of us. The liberty and creativity that he represents! Without a huge organization he changed fashion history,” enthused Gaultier in a jam-packed backstage, where yet another designer, Nicholas Ghesquière of Louis Vuitton, and actress Marion Cotillard joined in a paparazzi scrum.

Jean-Paul opened the action with some holographic dresses in swirls of black and white followed by superb tuxedos and Spencers with twisting fringes and leather puckering. While Cardin’s Space Age moment was hinted at with extraterrestrial hair styles – bobs sprouting origami hair shapes – and some super heroines jackets.
 
Gaultier threw in a few of his own classics, notably a wildly broken apart trench-coat-dress with mutton sleeves that earned a burst of applause, as Jacques Dutronc crooned Les Playboys on the soundtrack.
 
“I knew Jean-Paul had a great talent as soon as he arrived chez moi. And how can one not admire someone who produces great couture for decades?” Cardin told FashionNetwork.com.
 
Gaultier even evoked Cardin’s eastern influences -  Pierre was the first western designer to sell his jeans in Russia and the first creator to own a restaurant brand, Maxim’s, that opened in Beijing. The result: super mono-color waffle jacquard pants suits worthy of a modern day Ming Dynasty empress.
 
“My first job in fashion was with Pierre Cardin. Though of course he is really an Italian, Pietro Cardini from a family born in Venice.  I started working his studio on the day of my 18th birthday. Can you imagine? And I’m a little older now,” cackled Gaultier. For the record Jean-Paul is 65.