French-born Jean Paul Gaultier iconic career is celebrated at the Brooklyn Museum with an exhibit titled “From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk.” The exhibit features 130 haute couture and prêt-à-porter ensembles accompanied by audiovisual materials, sketches, early designs, photographs and videos, including yes, the very famous cone corset Gaultier designed for Madonna‘s 1990 “Blonde Ambition” tour.
The colossal show is a reminder Gaultier isn’t just a skilled designer who is passionate about making clothes, he’s a critical building block of the foundation of modern-day fashion whose resonance continues to shape and influence design.
And while Gaultier as of late has been relegated to the wings, the exhibit reflects a designer who over many years has been a master at bringing the subconscious to life, all of our fears, dirty secrets, joys, hopes, making him one of the few who could righteously be described as an artist.
JPG’s show at the Brooklyn Museum is open from October 25, 2013 through February 23, 2014.
See images via Snobette below.