Tartan

Tartan has inspired numerous Jean Paul Gaultier’s pieces, including the ones that are showcased in the Thierry-Maxime Loriot-curated « The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier : From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk » exhibition, at New York’s Brooklyn Museum, from October 25, 2013 until February 23, 2014.

The Scottish kilt is one of Jean Paul Gaultier’s signatures, and the couturier has often spotlighted this pattern, particularly in his Spring/Summer 1984 collection (« The Return of the print / Le Retour de l’imprimé »), his Autumn/Winter 1987-1988 Menswear collection (« The Rock Stars / Les Rock Stars »), his Autumn/Winter 1991-1992 Menswear collection (« The Prisoner / Le Prisonnier »), his Autumn/Winter 1998-1999 Menswear collection (« Like a Prayer »), and his Spring/Summer 2013 Menswear collection.

Other collections with tartan : Alexander McQueen Autumn/Winter 1995-1996 (Alexander McQueen’s tartan was showcased for the 1^st time in this collection, titled « Highland Rape », which was based on the 18^th century Jacobite Risings and the 19^th century Highland Clearances), Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Pre-Fall 2013 (this « Paris-Edinburgh » show paid tribute to Scotland, where Coco Chanel spent some time with her then-lover, the Duke of Westminster), Corrie Nielsen Autumn/Winter 2012-2013 (this collection was an homage to the Scottish Highlands), House of Holland Autumn/Winter 2008-2009 (tartan-influenced collection), Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Couture Autumn/Winter 2000-2001 (this collection, named « Bellintellingentsia », showcased tartan motifs, especially the Royal Stewart tartan), L.A.M.B. Autumn/Winter 2005-2006 (Gwen Stefani, one of the most passionate fans of tartan, has particularly highlighted this motif in this collection), Louis Vuitton by Marc Jacobs Autumn/Winter 2004-2005 (this show was partly based on Scottish romanticism), Moschino Autumn/Winter 2013-2014 (Scotland’s heritage was honored in this show), Saint Laurent Paris by Hedi Slimane Autumn/Winter 2013-2014 (this show celebrated California grunge), Versace Autumn/Winter 2013-2014 (this collection showcased the « Vunk ! », which is an hybrid of Versace and punk), Vivienne Westwood (the Scottish tartan is recurrent in Vivienne Westwood’s collections, specifically in her Autumn/Winter 1989-1990 collection, titled « Trip to Cythera », and in her « Anglomania » Autumn/Winter 1997-1998 collection).

Photo : Thomas Iannaccone