It's playful and breathtaking all at the same time. Jean Paul Gaultier's fashion retrospective at the NGV is a magnificent showcase of the maverick designer's craft.
Review by GEMMA CLARKE
Each room in the John Paul Gaultier exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria holds an exciting surprise or fun idiosyncrasy.
The French fashion guru's playful and irreverent approach to his craft is perhaps what makes this exhibition so unique. He even includes his first teddy bear, Nana, with a cone bra stuck to its chest – one of his first designs.
Ever since he launched his first of his first prêt-a-porter line in 1976 (revolutionising the ready-to-wear industry) and couture line in 1997, Gaultier has been a force to be reckoned with.
From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk is an invitation to enter his extravagant, inclusive and unconventional mind. It is a social statement that pushes the boundaries of established conventions within the fashion industry.
The exhibition was organised by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in collaboration with Masion Jean Paul Gaultier. The striking exhibition has amassed audiences of more than one million throughout New York, Montreal and London, breaking records for any fashion exhibition. Melbourne is the fourth destination.
The retrospective features more than 140 superbly crafted costumes, ready-to-wear looks, sketches, stage costumes, excerpts from runway shows, film, television, concerts and dance performance,s as well as haute couture pieces from his 40-year career.
Footage from his shows as well as exquisite fashion photography (including photographs by David LaChapelle, Stéphane Sednaoui and Pierre et Gilles, Andy Warhol, Peter Lindbergh, Richard Avedon) also feature.
The exhibition is split into seven sections; The Odyssey of JPG, Punk Cancan, Muses, The Boudoir, Metropolis, Skin Deep and Urban Jungle. Each features a series of mannequins dressed in Gaultier's breath-taking designs.
A feature are the "live" mannequins – blank-faced dummies that have real videoed faces projected on to them. They blink, sing, chat, tell stories and make eye contact with visitors.
Most notably, a mannequin with Gaultier's face projected onto it speaks a lively welcome and introduction to visitors.
The majority of his collections are based on street wear, with a focus on popular culture, a theme explored throughout the showcase. The sidewalk element of the retrospective is clear, particularly though the constant reference to numerous muses, many of whom he plucked from obscurity (like Australian model Alexandra Agoston).
Dita Von Teese, Amy Winehouse, Cate Blanchett, Kylie Minogue and Madonna are some of the women identified as inspirations.
Gaultier seeks out beauty everywhere he goes, and from the exhibition it is clear he is driven by a compulsive curiosity and open-mindedness. His attempt to revolutionise gender construction and fluidity, as well as traditional ideas of beauty, are powerfully articulated.
He once said that he “always wanted to show that there is not one type of beauty” and this is admirably translated throughout. For instance, a male mannequin and his projected reflection (wearing an outfit from his men’s couture collection) have a dialogue about gender and fashion issues.
The extravagance of the exhibition is overwhelming and the opportunity to view these remarkable pieces is exhilarating, particularly the haute couture.
The exhibition as a whole is a spectacular collision of the many themes he has explored throughout his career and, on leaving, I am left pondering ideas about gender construction and unconventional beauty. It is a rare insight into his creative mind, allowing the public to gain perspective on his fascinating thoughts and ideas regarding contemporary fashion.
Not to be missed.
The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk is on at the National Gallery of Victoria until February 8, 2015.