A talented designer since his career began in 1976, Jean Paul Gaultier has been recognized for his unapologetic, risqué, and at times, gender-bending designs. Prior to starting his own label, Gaultier worked under the direction of couturiers including Pierre Cardin and Jean Patou, sketching in his spare time. The enfant terrible of fashion, as he is typically referred to by the industry, Gaultier pushed the boundaries of style, presenting collections that to this day are more than just fashion shows—they’re spectacles. His pop-culture, urban aesthetic allowed for some of the most iconic costume pieces to be created, such as the cone-bra bustier Madonna wore for her 1990 Blonde Ambition tour. A new exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, pays homage to Gaultier’s more than 30 years in the fashion industry, featuring 140 couture pieces from the span of his career. In true Gaultier tradition, this is no ordinary retrospective. The multimedia exhibit includes custom mannequins with interactive faces, film excerpts, photographs, sketches, and audiovisual projections to fully immerse visitors into the world of Jean Paul Gaultier. The exhibit opens October 25 and is on display through February 23, 2014.
Immortalized on a contact sheet is a topless Swedish model Aitize Hanson, wearing Gaultier's Virgin Mary-inspired skirt and shawl in 1971.
Jean Paul Gaultier
In a special edition of Exposure Magazine in 1988, French photographer Stéphane Sednaoui transformed model Tanel Bedrossiantz -- clothed in pieces from Gaultier’s “Rock Stars"-themed men’s Fall/Winter 1987 collection -- into a pop art illustration.
Gaultier dressed Helen Mirren for her role as Georgina Spica in the 1989 film The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover.
Miramax Films/Photofest
Madonna sported Gaultier's iconic cone-bra and corset-style bodysuit during her 1990 Blonde Ambition Tour.
Tanel Bedrossiantz goes drag in the name of Gaultier in a 1992 portrait shot by photographer Paolo Roversi. The cone-style garb is a throwback to Gaultier's Fall/Winter 1984 collection.
Gaultier -- who designed the costumes for the 1993 film Kika -- kisses movie star Victoria Abril's hand as she sits next to Pedro Almodóvar in a promotional photograph for the film.
Nacho Pinedo/Jean Paul Gaultier
Victoria Abril wears a breast-protecting jacket and heavy-machinery headgear designed by Gaultier in the film Kika.
Milla Jovovich, who played humanoid Leeloo in the 1997 film The Fifth Element, sported an unforgiving, cut-out bandage costume during her escape scene.
Photographed by Ellen Von Unwerth, the 1998 image Survivors features Laetitia Casta, Vladimir McCary, and Jenny Shimizu sporting items from Gaultier's Spring/Summer 1994 "Tattoos" collection.
Ellen Von Unwerth
Inspired by India, Gaultier's Dubar gown was part of his "Romantic India" Spring/Summer 2000 collection. The myriad of khaki, cinnamon, and papaya tulle ruffles produce an unconventional evening gown. Model Alek Wek wore the dress in the March 2000 issue of Numéro, photographed by Karl Lagerfeld.
Entitled "Musette," Gaultier's beaded, sailor-striped sweater and black stretch pant-skirt combination hails from his 2002 "Ze Parisienne" collection.
Gaultier featured the “French Cancan” at his retrospective 30th anniversary runway show in 2006. The head-to-toe houndstooth emsemble (complete with a handbag, umbrella, face mask, and cigarette holder) was originally seen in his Fall/Winter 1991 collection.
Patrice Stable/Jean Paul Gaultier
For the label's 30th anniversary runway show, Gaultier sent an eclectic piece from his men's Spring/Summer 1994 "Raw and Refined" collection.
Named "Apparitions," the illusion gown walked the runway during Gaultier's Virgins-inspired 2007 Spring/Summer collection. The dress features hologram embroidery, bows, a lace veil, and an ivory tulle skirt. The underlying strapless sheath dress is comprised of a Celestial-print satin and a bustier top.
In 2008, Gaultier designed the "La Mariée" wedding dress for his Spring/Summer collection. Photographed by French photographer Alix Malka, the mermaid-style dress features a latex bodysuit with golden scales, a shelled cone bra, and a form-fitting, sequined alpaca skirt with a latex tail.
ÃÂÃÂÃÂéAlix Malka
Collaborating with director Pedro Almodovar for the first time since the 1993 film Kika, Gaultier created the costumes for the 2011 psychological thriller The Skin I Live In.
In a scene from The Skin I Live In, Vera, played by Elena Anaya, wears a version of the full-body, nude bodysuit from Gaultier's Fall/Winter 1991 show.
Paying tribute to the late Amy Winehouse, models walked the runway at Gaultier's Spring/Summer 2012 show donning oversized, black bouffants and pieces -- including this black sequin skirt with a white blouse and peek-a-boo bra -- inspired by the singer.
Patrice Stable/Jean Paul Gaultier
Gaultier channeled Grace Jones for his interpretation of the female tuxedo for his Spring/Summer 2013 presentation.
