Jean Paul Gaultier

this idea of the underwear falling from the back of your trousers didn't need the gangsta look or the like, cause this kind of magician was designing this shocking ideas since lots of years a go; and he was and he his french, but he connect with all this not mainstream people that eventually became mainstream with gangsta looks, underwaer on display and stuff; for me, this man along with galliano and thierry mugler are teh MOST; there might be others better than gaultier, but no when playing his game

This book is fun to have in your library, especially if you are an artist. I am photographer and have found some great, inspirational ideas in it. The book has tons of photos, tells a lot about Jean-Paul Gautier, industry, fashion and inventions.

Although it took 25 years after Gaultier first started designing under his own name for someone to dedicate a book to him, it was well worth the wait. McDowell, as with his book on Galliano, does a lavish job on Gaultier's life and designs. The book is packed with runway photos and details about some of the collections. My only complaints about the book (and they are very minor complaints): McDowell goes into over-detail about Gaultier's life, especially up to 1976 when he first started designing his own label, making for slow reading for half of the book; a few of the photos are mislabelled with the wrong collection (mostly the couture photos); and although there are some great runway photos in the book, a lot of Gaultier's show-stopping designs in the past are not represented, and there aren't enough photos from men's collections. A great book though!

Colin McDowell's peek into the wild world of Jean Paul Gaultier is both long overdue and well worth the wait! From his earliest childhood memories to his 2000 couture show and all points inbetween, McDowell reveals all in the same manner Gaultier designs his collections--with wit, irreverence, and style! This lavishly illustrated book has pictures and sketches (sadly, not Gaultier's own) from his most famous collections, including some rare and unusual ones. Photo coverage starts in heavily from around the 1989 collections, but earlier eighties collections are glimpsed here and there throughout the book. McDowell punctuates with notable quotes and images of Gaultier's influences, from pin-up queens to Physique Pictorial, from the great couturiers to street fashion. Smartly written and solidly designed (it even has Gaultier's nautical stripes in the end caps!) this book is a MUST for all Gaultier fans and admirers. It explains, in vivid detail, how he became the fashion icon that he is today!