With his typical charm and sartorial cheekiness, Jean Paul Gaultier sent his models down scaffolding before hitting the catwalk. Perhaps, some of them belonged up there amongst the buildings though, since their brick-printed jackets and shirt made them look like tall, skinny houses from a distance. Like most JPG collections, the A/W12 show was a mish mash of prints, ideas and colours... exactly why we like him. The more imaginative pieces included an orange jump suit, floor-length kilts and a tail coat. These were mixed in with wardrobe staple pieces like waistcoats, camel coats and loose corduroy trousers. A couple of garments (hoodies and coats) were sleeveless with big slits on the sides, opening up the pieces and creating new silhouettes. Another JPG classic dusted off for next winter was the tattoo-like print visible on shirts and ties.
DD: What was the red thread running through this collection?
Jean Paul Gaultier: It was a mix of suburban dandy and more traditional tailoring, like evening jackets with tails and so on.
DD: There were also strong elements of versatile utilitarianism...
Jean Paul Gaultier: Yeah, that evening coat, for example, is also a rain coat so it has double purposes.
DD: Tell me about the brick print...
Jean Paul Gaultier: I really like the English brick print because, if you look closely, is made out of flowers. Suburbia meets the city!
DD: Is there a piece that stands out?
Jean Paul Gaultier: I quite like inside pockets that you can tuck the coat in to and create a new item, or just pockets for your hands on a scarf... the kind of details that surprises you!
