The Jean Paul Gaultier show, staged in the French couturier’s grandiose show space in the 3rd arrondissement, is always a bit of a reach—especially this season, considering that there was a veritable civil war occurring in the streets of Paris between the enraged taxi drivers and Uber chauffeurs. Nonetheless, the show was packed to the brim; after all, one cannot help but gravitate towards Gaultier’s perennial (and decidedly un-French) optimism.
In the middle of the afternoon, Gaultier threw a nightclub-themed show and put Le Palace, one of Paris’ old school haunts, on a pedestal. At the start of the catwalk, the “doors” swung open and a cornucopia of nightclub personalities exited. There was “Lola Rastaquouère” in a metallic embroidered robe and a jacquard men’s tie wrapped around her waist; “Djemila” in embroidered jeans; and “Joy Division” in a lace and crystal-beaded charmeuse. The models strutted the runway, puffing on cigarettes; suddenly, one was struck with the feeling that it was very passé. Smoking—like Le Palace—stopped being cool over 20 years ago. And while the clothes were styled to exception, we couldn’t help but frown that Gaultier should start looking forward instead of relentlessly taking us down memory lane.
