The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk

In the first major exhibition devoted to the celebrated French couturier, we invite you to explore Jean Paul Gaultier's fashion world. With his avant-garde fashion creations and cutting-edge designs, Gaultier has shaped the look of fashion over the last 35 years. His reputation for witty and daring designs and a ceaseless interest in society, identity and a beauty borne of difference has earned him a place in fashion history.

Gaultier is fascinated by world cultures and countercultures, conceiving a new kind of fashion in both the way it is made and worn. Through twists, transformations, transgressions and reinterpretations, he not only erases the boundaries between cultures but also the sexes, redefining the idea of androgyny or subverting fashion codes.

This theatrically-staged exhibition brings together more than 140 cutting-edge couture and ready-to-wear garments including iconic costumes for film and performance from the early 1970s to the present day. The infamous conical bra and corsets Madonna wore during her 1990 Blonde Ambition World Tour are showcased alongside stage costumes designed for Kylie Minogue as well as pieces created for the films of Pedro Almodóvar and Luc Besson's The Fifth Element.

Gaultier’s rich collaborations with renowned artists and photographers such as Miles Aldridge, Richard Avedon, David LaChapelle, Pierre et Gilles, Herb Ritts, Cindy Sherman and Andy Warhol are also shown together with footage of catwalk presentations, concerts, music videos, films, dance performances and Gaultier's cult television show Eurotrash.