Maison Jean Paul Gaultier unveils a collection that revisits two iconic garments from its history, the kilt and the marinière. The ad campaign, shot by Grant-James Thomas, features Alexis Stone taking up the role of Jean Paul Gaultier.

A LEGENDARY SILHOUETTE

In 1994, Jean-Marie Périer photographed Jean Paul Gaultier wearing a kilt and a marinière in a hotel room, for ELLE magazine. 30 years later, this picture represents the designer’s heritage that all individuals know of. All along the 1980s, Jean Paul Gaultier played with the stripes of the tricot rayé, applying them on dresses adorned with sequins, feathers and crystals. Borrowed from the wardrobe of sailors, this piece of uniform became a celebrated fashion item and was featured in the Maison’s collections throughout the years. Similarly, the Scottish kilt has been featured ever since the first menswear collections, which were deliberately genderless and for everyone to enjoy. Today, the marinière and the kilt fuse with each other to create a new collection.

THE COLLECTION: OBJECTS OF DESIRE

Echoing the 1984 ready-to-wear collection “Homme Objet”, the Maison explores the universe of sailors with a limited selection of exclusive garments that celebrate inclusiveness, to be worn separately or together, and featuring customizable tags waiting to be filled out, sewn on the outside of the marinière. And since we are proud of our Made in France marinière, we say so with hearts! A re-issue from the 2001 “Mort à Venise” collection, a huge cut-out heart weaved in the cotton jersey itself has been applied on our genderless marinière. In terms of accessories, the famous sailor tattoo combining a heart and an anchor has become a silver pendant necklace.

DRESS LIKE JEAN PAUL is a collection full of trompe l’oeil prints. They can be seen on transparent tops appearing full of cracks or on a black cotton jersey T-shirt printed with a marinière. Meanwhile the kilt now owns a multitude of variations, from stretch tulle variants to swimwear. For this collection Jean Paul Gaultier use the marinière’s stripes with stretch materials to morph and enhance the body and silhouette.

The ad campaign, shot by Grant-James Thomas in the Halles neighborhood of Paris, features a true-to-life Jean Paul Gaultier character wandering in the streets the designer favor. When suddenly, the twist is revealed: the model is none other than Alexis Stone, known as the expert of physical transformations. For DRESS LIKE JEAN PAUL, Alexis Stone turns into the iconic Jean Paul Gaultier.

Alexis stones tells us about Jean Paul Gaultier: “I have always perceived the work of Jean Paul Gaultier as free and assumed. his creations encourage you to be yourself, whoever you are. this is exactly what fashion should inspire when it is done well. and that’s why transforming myself into Jean Paul Gaultier was easy, because I see myself in this community that he has created.”