Beyond the Fashion Pack: Don’t miss the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit

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See inside the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit ‘From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk’ at the Brooklyn Museum

Hard not to admit that this costume exhibition is close to my heart.

Waxing nostalgic, as a Brooklyn native, my mom used to take me to art classes at the Brooklyn Museum. It’s architecturally a gorgeous regal museum that’s a houses an excellent permanent collection of Egyptian art as well as an incredible Rodin collection.

I chose to wear Jean Paul Gaultier in this "back in the day" magazine article about me where I am quoted as saying, "There's no point wearing jewelry unless it is weird, or at least, unusual."
I chose to wear Jean Paul Gaultier in this “back in the day” magazine article about me where I am quoted as saying, “There’s no point wearing jewelry unless it is weird, or at least, unusual.”

And, then there was the 80s and on.

I have to say a good part of my wardrobe involved wearing a piece by Jean Paul Gaultier. As a stylist, JPG was the designer label most likely to seen on both sides of the camera on a photo shoot.

The pieces were edgy but never trendy so they produced infinite ways to mix into a wardrobe. As a matter of fact, whatever I still have from those days still looks modern today.

Gaultier’s work withstands time and remains both relevant and unique in its genius .

While ready to wear pieces meld into an everyday wardrobe, the more avante garde of the 140 haute couture and prêt-à-porter ensembles that are on display at the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit ‘From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk’ exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum are art pieces inspired by the beauty and diversity of global cultures should be appreciated by all beyond a fashion insider.

True to JPG, this is no ordinary costume exhibition but more of a performance piece where the clothes are the actors who take center stage, complete with interactive mannequins.

Popping up around the U.S, we’ve been jealously awaiting a New York leg of “From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk,” an exploration of the explosive designs of legendary Haute Couturier Jean Paul Gaultier. And alas, a quick trip to the Brooklyn Museum, the only museum on the East Coast to house this tribute to JPG, gave us a moment to indulge.

A master tailor, Jean Paul Gaultier’s formidable career began in his late teens at Pierre Cardin where he was able to hone in on slick sartorial moments full of surprises.

Ah, those corsets! Including Gaultier's first outing on his little stuffed bear.
Ah, those corsets! Including Gaultier’s first outing on his little stuffed bear.

Known for his plays on corset dressing, man-skirts, his mid-80’s era tenure at Gibo, his penchant for Breton stripes, his takes on ethnic garb and punk garb, Gaultier is most often coined the enfant terrible of French fashion. And though he has worked on everything from a collaboration with Target to a 7 year stint as creative director for the Hautiest of Houses at Hermes, to numerous high-profile gigs as a film costume director, two of his most iconic moments include his early 90’s coned bra’s for Madonna and his use of provocative models pushing industry boundaries on age, sexuality and body proportions into the extreme, are celebrated here for the perfect visual treat. (with Naveed Hussain)

SHOP the world of Jean Paul Gaultier online now:

Visit in Brooklyn:
October 25, 2013–February 23, 2014
Morris A. and Meyer Schapiro Wing and Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Gallery, 5th Floor
http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/jean_paul_gaultier/

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