JEAN PAUL GAULTIER SS13

Jean Paul Gaultier was never formally trained as a designer, but was spotted for his talent by Pierre Cardin and hired as an assistant to the designer in 1970. He released his first collection in 1976 and his ongoing, characteristic iconoclastic style has given him a reputation as the enfant terrible of French fashion. In the 1980's Gaultier produced the costumes for Madonna's Blond Ambition Tour and later her Confession Tour. Gaultier launched his couture line in 1997, providing him with an outlet for his free expression and the inspirations of divergent cultures. Hermes hired Gaultier in 2003 as creative director - a post which he retained until 2010. In 2011, the exhibition, "The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk" was launched in Montreal and is now touring Museums in North America.