Avant-Garde Couturier Jean Paul Gaultier announced his retirement from fashion during Couture Week in January 2020. The news that it would be JPG’s last show came as a shock to the fashion world, including the models who walked the over-the-top runway show. Despite Gaultier’s decision to retire from his eponymous label, the brand has continued to live on through a series of collaborations with fellow designers like Y/Project, Glen Martens, and Sacai.
Gaultier himself has been quiet since his celebratory send-off, that is, until now. The 69-year-old designer is creeping back into fashion (err… kind of). This morning (UK time), Gaultier swapped the runway for daytime television to discuss all things fashion in a surprise appearance on Lorraine Kelly’s show. The legendary designer sat down with the talk show host to discuss his Fashion Freak Show extravaganza returning to London this summer. The hit production, which was introduced as his last haute couture show, will run at north London’s iconic Camden Roundhouse space from July 15 for a season of 52 shows.
Once a fashion luminary, always a fashion luminary, so naturally, after promoting his production, Gaultier and Kelly dived into his legendary pedigree, including his famous Marinières stripes, which are making a huge comeback (see: Grazia Los Angeles Gazette’s Most Wanted). Following his interview, Gaultier joined the show’s shopping segment, critiquing street-style looks. Gaultier got passionate over a particular Zara and River Island ensemble. “Voila! It’s great, it’s fabulous, I love it,” he said. “Elegant and chic”.
