Admiration, amazement, and inspiration are the three words that would best describe my feelings after the press preview of Jean Paul Gaultier’s exhibit “From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk” at the de Young museum last Thursday. It was such a treat to hear him describe the exhibit himself and how his early years helped him become the designer he is today.
Some interesting personal stories from Mr. Gaultier:
- As a little boy he didn’t have any dolls, so his first subject that he designed for was a little stuffed bear “Nana” which is shown at the right wearing his first “prototype” of the cone bra Madonna would later wear (bits of paper formed into cones).
- He mentioned always having a cat, and one day looking at the can of cat food (or “meat for the cat” as he called it) and thinking how beautiful it was – that if he dipped it in silver it could become a really cool bracelet (shown below – “Tin Can” jewelry). This later became the idea behind his perfume packaging (a can for beans that is dipped in silver as he describes it).
Below is video footage taken during his talk at the press preview, where he describes how he came up with the idea for the “living” mannequins, why he likes models with personality, and his views on women and femininity.
And here is Mr. Gaultier after the talk (being mobbed by the press) and my friend and I (I’m on the right) posing with Mr. Gaultier’s original male model muse who was also in attendance.
Jean Paul Gaultier left a love note to SF on the wall
Some additional photos from the exhibit – I don’t want to spoil it all though, definitely go see it for yourself, it’s worth it!
And lastly, here’s a quick glimpse of the “talking” mannequins that you’ll see in the exhibit – this one is Jean Paul Gaultier himself! The uses video projection technology allows for the mannequins to come alive and speak, sing, blink, and even blow a kiss or two at you 
