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Jean Paul Gaultier

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Jean Paul Gaultier

Jean Paul Gaultier

Jean Paul Gaultier is a French fashion designer who launched his first individual collection in 1976. His work uses unconventional motifs—corsets, marinières, tin cans—and materials like plastic rubbish bags. He relaunched the marinière for men in 1983, introduced men’s kilts in 1984, debuted the cone bra in 1984, and launched the 'granny grey' hair trend via his 2011 autumn/winter show. He cast older men, fat women, and tattooed models, and played with gender roles. His influence lies in material specificity and casting choices—not in founding movements or naming ideologies.