Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture S/S 2023 Paris

[penny609]

I get that its almost an ode to different couturiers that jpg looked up to. Usually Haider has such a strong vision, and he lost it here. Theres a few great looks but the collection has no identity.

I get your point even if I think there is far more than a few great looks. As I said before I can't resist the silhouettes here. But as for the lack of identity, I'd rather say it's more diversified than what Haider usually does and it may appear to some as less consistent. Still my favorite couture collection this season by miles.

 

[penny609]

As when it comes to Persoons ripoff, I won't try to excuse Ackermann but it's not like we don't see the same with other designers and sometimes in worse ways (like many pieces or even the whole collection).

 

[Steddycam91]

The breathless enthusiasm for this collection is sending me.

Agreed. Sure, there are some nice looks. But while watching the show I kept waiting for the collection to really kick into gear or reach a crescendo. It felt mostly limp and sterile. I get that it's Haider paying tribute to Gaultier through his own lens, but I wish he would have channeled more of Gaultier's playfulness and irreverence.

 

[Drusilla_]

interesting tweet I found (source: twitter.com)

 

[Deleted member 7575]

As when it comes to Persoons ripoff, I won't try to excuse Ackermann but it's not like we don't see the same with other designers and sometimes in worse ways (like many pieces or even the whole collection).

But this isn't business as usual, this is a tribute to Jean Paul Gaultier.

It's the wrong place, wrong time to pull some s*** like that. It's a slap in the face to Gaultier.

 

[FashionFanatico]

it's chic and okay and well made for sure, but also a bit boring, no?

 

[tricotineacetat]

The shameless 'borrowing' of Jurgi Persoons' work over the last years keep a very bitter taste in the mouth for all who wanted this Gaultier couture collection to signal a comeback for Haider - Why he felt the necessity to immitate his very distinct quirky detail work remains a mystery, as I believe those touches were not necessary for the affected designs to be convincing.

What this shows me is that Haider is more of a remixer of good taste than he is a real 'author' so to speak, like his Belgian contemporary Olivier Theyskens, who holds a similar place in the industry right now. But while Olivier really managed to create a world and language that is clearly his' alone, I am starting to doubt in Haider Ackermann's.

 

[LadyJunon]

The shameless 'borrowing' of Jurgi Persoons' work over the last years keep a very bitter taste in the mouth for all who wanted this Gaultier couture collection to signal a comeback for Haider - Why he felt the necessity to immitate his very distinct quirky detail work remains a mystery, as I believe those touches were not necessary for the affected designs to be convincing.

What this shows me is that Haider is more of a remixer of good taste than he is a real 'author' so to speak, like his Belgian contemporary Olivier Theyskens, who holds a similar place in the industry right now. But while Olivier really managed to create a world and language that is clearly his' alone, I am starting to doubt in Haider Ackermann's.

The magic of Theyskens is that even at his most pared back and commercial, his work is recognisably his. His work doesn't look like Ann's, Yohji's or Margiela's. I've seen Ackermann on Ssense and it's doesn't look like Ackermann at all.

 

[Drusilla_]

I don't think being a remixer (a charge frequently levelled two decades ago against, among other people, Marc Jacobs) precludes having a point of view or being a good designer....agreed that I'm not happy about the copying though.

side note: I can't be the only one who thinks the ssense product photos/styling are absolute dogshite, maybe I'm not cool enough to get the brain-dead looking posing and dead looking style but it's not my cup of tea at all. Also the H'A selection currently available on ssense (men's and women's) hardly looks like his at all, though I don't know if that's an issue with the selection or just the whole collection.

 

[donyan]

Ackermann's collection always looked magical and otherworldly in the shows but the actual clothes in the stores were always dissapointing to me. Take away the draped and twisted styling and what's left are very expensive, slightly faceless clothes that next to Demeulemeester or Rick Owens just didn't really hold their own. Always loved the shows but never actually bought anything.

 

[Drusilla_]

Ackermann's collection always looked magical and otherworldly in the shows but the actual clothes in the stores were always dissapointing to me. Take away the draped and twisted styling and what's left are very expensive, slightly faceless clothes that next to Demeulemeester or Rick Owens just didn't really hold their own. Always loved the shows but never actually bought anything.

In my memory, Haider was better or at least more comfortable with colour than Demeulemeester/Owens (who mostly eschewed it), and that shows in this collection too - the colours are very what I'd expect of him. Confined to a black palette though, I'd agree with you.

 

[donyan]

In my memory, Haider was better or at least more comfortable with colour than Demeulemeester/Owens (who mostly eschewed it), and that shows in this collection too - the colours are very what I'd expect of him. Confined to a black palette though, I'd agree with you.

Agreed he was always brilliant with colour, one of the reasons why his shows were always so beautiful. They just didn't translate to the stores. Maybe it was just a question of bad merchandising

 

[Phuel]

Great conversation with Osama Chabbi at Gaultier's stronghold. Talents like Haider and Fabien Baron, simply confirm to many of us that we're not going crazy with how we find fashion is at its lowest point right now:

 

[Deleted member 7575]

The shameless 'borrowing' of Jurgi Persoons' work over the last years keep a very bitter taste in the mouth for all who wanted this Gaultier couture collection to signal a comeback for Haider - Why he felt the necessity to immitate his very distinct quirky detail work remains a mystery, as I believe those touches were not necessary for the affected designs to be convincing.

What this shows me is that Haider is more of a remixer of good taste than he is a real 'author' so to speak, like his Belgian contemporary Olivier Theyskens, who holds a similar place in the industry right now. But while Olivier really managed to create a world and language that is clearly his' alone, I am starting to doubt in Haider Ackermann's.

Amen

 

[jeremydante]

I loved this collection, but it was much more Haider than it was Gaultier. The sex appeal and mystery of Haider is the most alluring about he and his designs. The collection communicated that well, and while beautiful; it selfishly brought Haider into the Gaultier arenas while leaving his identity on the back burner as the primary designer. It didn't feel collaborative, it felt like a takeover/overhaul. I love Haider, so that's my take. Beautiful collection. Makes me want to see Haider taken in by a bigger label, especially since he hasn't shown his own label for a while, which is worrisome.

 

[YohjiAddict]

It was not the perfect collection for me (the color palette is a bit confusing) but I’m very happy to see that there are still designers that want to make clothes that speak for themselves, pure fashion creation instead of styling. Such a rarity to see such sculptural approach to haute couture (in the vein of Grès, Vionnet or Cardin at his best) it makes me realize how precious a talent like Haider’s actually is.

As mentioned by some kindred spirit in this thread, some looks are quite Montana, 23 and 26 in particular. Kinda weird how a few weeks ago I mentioned in one of his Lanvin threads how incredible it was that he managed to pull off doing a tracksuit for couture and now Haider decides to pull a similar stunt.

 

[gallianostan]

the tracksuit was really gauche imo.

couture and tracksuits are completely antithetical to me lmao.

 

[Drusilla_]

whatever we think of it aesthetically, there's long been a precedent for sports gear on the couture runway - Chanel had every model in trainers for spring 2014 couture and that was almost ten years ago. If that extends to tracksuits, I don't mind it on a conceptual level.

 

[MagFan]

Gaultier always played with streetwear and couture techniques and mixed this with couture classics, I dont get why it is such a problem this time

 

[MagFan]

FW 1998 one

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