Jean Paul Gaultier oversized shirt dress, c. 1996
View Similar Items
Jean Paul Gaultier oversized shirt dress, c. 1996
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: M-L (EU)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU14021414243
Jean Paul Gaultier
Endeavoring to tear down gender stereotypes and sartorial norms on the catwalk, making underwear outerwear, putting men in skirts and models of all shapes and sizes on the runway, Jean Paul Gaultier has created wildly provocative, transformational designs for day dresses, gowns, tops and other garments that draw on numerous influences and boldly merge haute couture with street sensibility.
An only child raised in the suburbs of Paris, Gaultier didn’t have a formal fashion education. But he loved to sketch and was drawn to clothing, citing the corsets in his maternal grandmother’s closet as having a formative impact on his creative direction. He’s said that some of his earliest fashion work was for his teddy bear, and later he would send his sketches to designers he revered, including Pierre Cardin.
Gaultier began his career in 1970 as an assistant to Cardin, who admired the sketches the 18-year-old had sent for his appraisal. After Gaultier had his first runway show in 1976, featuring unconventional statements like pairing motorcycle jackets with ballerina skirts, it didn’t take long for his star to rise.
Gaultier's playful but exquisitely crafted reimaginings of classic Parisian styles — the striped mariner shirt, the trench coat — soon became recurring themes of his eponymous house, which he founded with his life partner and business associate Francis Menuge in 1982.
“He was absolutely peerless for the longest time in the late ’80s and early ’90s,” fashion editor Tim Blanks told the New York Times. This was the period of Gaultier’s most iconic designs.
In 1984, Gaultier’s “Boy Toy” collection challenged men’s fashion with striped shirts and skirts — and sold around 3,000 of them. He was hailed for spectacle-laden runway shows and superb tailoring. Gaultier began to work with Madonna during the late 1980s, and, at the pop star’s request, he designed the costumes for her 1990 “Blond Ambition” tour. Her pink corset became a cultural touchstone of the era.
Gaultier continued to expand his brand. There were the colorful all-over graphic prints in the sheer stretch-tulle fabric of his Soleil line — which have gained fans in millennials seeking the authentic, easy style of 1990s fashion — and he debuted his first couture collection in 1997. Gaultier created costumes for film and stage and was nominated for a César Award for Best Costume Design for The City of Lost Children (1995) and then a second for Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element (1997).
From 2003 to 2010, Gaultier was the creative director for Hermès. The first international exhibition of his work, “The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk,” debuted in 2011 at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and toured to cities including Stockholm, New York City, Dallas and London. Vintage Gaultier Birkin bags are unsurprisingly sought-after collectibles, and the So Black collection — a line that included the So Black Birkin, which featured black PVD-coated hardware — was among his last works for the brand before his departure.
Gaultier presented his last ready-to-wear collection in 2014 and in 2020 stepped down from his couture line, ending his boundary-pushing, industry-shaping reign with a raucous show of more than 230 outfits formed from fragments of collections from across his 50-year career.
One of fashion’s enfants terribles, Gaultier has never sought out pretty for pretty’s sake. Instead, he has challenged the traditional ideals of beauty. Today, the designer's vintage clothing designs — experimental undergarments cut from lace and suede, leather-trimmed evening dresses and jackets of denim, plastic or striped jersey — are as punk as they are high fashion.
Find vintage Jean Paul Gaultier dresses, skirts, jeans and accessories today on 1stDibs.
- Tom Ford embellished pop art inspired black evening dress, fw 2013By Tom FordLocated in London, GBPresenting an exquisite and highly sought-after TOM FORD evening dress from the autumn-winter 2013 collection, a true gem that captured the fashion world's attention. This dress is a...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture silk evening dress with feather trim, fw 1969By Yves Saint LaurentLocated in London, GBPresenting an exceptional Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture evening gown from the autumn-winter collection of 1969. This gown is a true masterpiece crafted from luxurious brown silk c...Category
1960s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Comme des Garcons deconstructed wool and chiffon dress, fw 1997By Comme des GarçonsLocated in London, GBIntroducing an avant-garde Comme des Garcons deconstructed wool and chiffon dress, an exceptional piece from the autumn-winter 1997 collection. This dress exemplifies the brand's inn...Category
1990s Japanese Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Azzedine Alaia black beaded mini dress, ss 2010By Azzedine AlaïaLocated in London, GBIntroducing a striking Azzedine Alaia black evening mini dress, a true masterpiece crafted from a luxurious silk-viscose fabric that hugs the figure flawlessly. This alluring dress s...Category
2010s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Yves Saint Laurent black silk taffeta and velvet evening ensemble, c. 1977-78By Yves Saint LaurentLocated in London, GBPresenting an exceptionally rare Yves Saint Laurent black silk taffeta and velvet evening ensemble, a true treasure from the esteemed designer's collection circa 1977-78. This exquis...Category
1970s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Celine black viscose a-line dress with metal halter-neck, ss 2008By CelineLocated in London, GB▪ Celine black a-line dress ▪ 100% Viscose ▪ Silver metal halter-neck ▪ Pleated bust ▪ Built-in corset ▪ FR 38 - UK 10 - US 6 ▪ Spring-Summer 2008Category
Early 2000s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Adolfo Tropical Silk Jersey Strapless Dress with Half CapeletBy AdolfoLocated in New York, NYAdolfo strapless dress with bold green, indigo and white tropical floral print. Wonderfully tailored, with fitted bodice and draped open tulip front slit above the knee for movement...Category
Late 20th Century American Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Valentino Boutique Black Beaded Silk Chiffon Evening Gown Size US 6By ValentinoLocated in New York, NYLuxurious Valentino Boutique black silk evening gown with tiered ruffles, sweeping hemline and hand beaded and embroidered bodice. Two ruffles at bodice are hand beaded with tiny jet...Category
Late 20th Century Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Badgley Mischka Beaded Black Silk Lace Evening Gown Size US 10By Badgley MischkaLocated in New York, NYBadgley Mischka glamorous black silk lace evening gown, size US 10. Gown features hand beaded and embroidered lace with glass jet beading, and neckline with glass jet beads along cu...Category
Late 20th Century American Evening Gowns
- Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Vintage Off-Shoulder Black Dress 1990sBy Chanel BoutiqueLocated in Berlin, BEThe perfect little black vintage dress by Chanel. This classic beauty is a 1990s piece designed by Karl Lagerfeld. This elegant Chanel dress is an incredible classic that will truly...Category
1990s French Mini Dresses
- ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Textured Leather Bubble DressBy Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Alexander McQueenLocated in Berlin, BEIncredible Alexander McQueen textured leather dress with the most amazing dramatic silhouette. This high-quality dress has the most incredible round silhouette - It is made from a textured leather and features a round neckline with beautiful seam-line details, large round puff...Category
2010s Italian Evening Dresses
- SAINT LAURENT BY HEDI SLIMANE 2014 Black Leather Mini DressBy Hedi Slimane for Yves Saint Laurent, Saint LaurentLocated in Berlin, BEThe most incredible leather mini-dress by Saint Laurent from 2014, designed by Hedi Slimane. This exceptional sleeveless mini dress is made from a soft lamb leather and features gor...Category
2010s French Mini Dress
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
You Saw It at the Met Ball. Here’s What Camp Fashion Is Really About
This year's Costume Institute exhibition is all about embracing the eccentric.
This Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen Ensemble Is Part Zsa Zsa Gabor, Part ‘Blade Runner’
As Burton steps away from the brand, it’s a fitting time to revisit one of her visionary designs.