Jean Paul Gaultier Exhibition at NGV

I finally made it to the Jean Paul Gualtier exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria only after it having been open for around three months. I really have no excuse; I have been on holidays for two and a half months and been to the city countless times. Nevertheless, I am very glad I had the chance to go before it closed. So here is my reminder and gentle prod to check it out if you can, it is truly a fantastic exhibition even for those not all that interested in fashion. It closes on the 8th of February so make sure to get in quick!

Today I bring you a small photo diary of my trip to the gallery, and a selection of my favourite pieces. Firstly, I respect the gallery’s decision to allow photography in the exhibition itself which is most often restricted in such an environment. The press and publicity given to the exhibition was outstanding with even ATMs being encased in Gaultier’s signature blue and white Breton stripe. It truly brought a little piece of France to Melbourne! Also, with the voice recordings of Gaultier speaking both English and French (which were somewhat difficult to hear above the crowd), it gave the impression that the designer himself was hosting a “show and tell” of his work, not simply a gallery shipping various pieces over and placing them on display for mere profit. It was personalised, achingly beautiful, well planned and truly a fashion girl’s dream outing. Now, if only I could have them shipped straight to my wardrobe...

Here is a tourist style photo of myself standing in front of Jean Paul Gaultier’s neon sign. Going to a gallery, and most importantly a fashion exhibition, denoted that my attire must be “fashionable” at least to a certain degree. This navy, pleated, pussybow dress I thought would be perfect for a gallery; it has the right amount of modesty and playfulness. Paired with my white wedges and a red lip (which I absolutely loved and must wear more often during the daytime), I was the quintessential Francophile. Blue, white and red: the colours of the French flag, bien sûr. 

I fell in love with this dress the moment I walked into the exhibition. It’s a floor length, blackened gold dress with the gold, almost glittering texture woven into the actual thread. It was part of a mermaid inspired collection and this is reflected in the repeated scalloping across the entire body. Every minute detail expresses the overall vision in the collection; the form fitting shape fanning at the ankle, the larger scallops accentuating fuller hips, the flower shapes covering the breasts and the halter neck detail. Each feature characteristic of the mythical creature. Fashion and fanstasy; the perfect sartorial marriage.

Immaculate No. 3 by Miles Aldridge for Numero, 2007

I must have gasped when I saw this image. There is something about it that immediately made me want to hang it on my wall. Perhaps it is the sharpness of the image, the saturated colour, the suggestive yet demure pose, the contemporary depiction or the model’s undeniably perfect bone structure. Interestingly, this photo is very reminiscent of Lady Gaga in her Judas music video. I bought the card pack (which features in the last image) with this photograph inside, so at least I can have a miniature in my bedroom. 

I needed to photograph this image because the colour of the velvet is dreamy. In person it was a frosted pink with a hint of a purple tone to it. The ruching on the dress is so meticulously done as to accentuate the very fine points of a woman’s body. I am not the biggest supporter of the conical bra but it is one of Jean Paul Gaultier’s defining creations, perhaps reserved for those powerful women game enough to pull it off. I can just envision this dress with disheveled, curled hair, smokey eyes, black pointed pumps and a martini in hand. Sex appeal done tastefully. 

The train of this dress was constructed entirely out of individual feathers. I was speechless at the sight of this. I had always wanted a dress with a feathered trim and the longer I look at this image, the more and more I would love it as the train of my wedding dress. A girl can dream...

Again, another gasp inducing dress. The powder blue material hinted at a shade very close to cornflower blue, one of my favourite colours. Tone aside, the draping on this dress is just perfection. One would have to have a perfect frame to wear this dress, which Cate Blanchett most certainly did when she wore this to the 2011 Golden Globe Awards. A dress that is certainly more prêt à porter compared to Gaultier’s haute designs, which makes it a lot more wearable (in my imagined, old Hollywood, cinema style cocktail party). 

This dress might very well be my favourite of the entire exhibition. It is hard to tell in the poor quality phone picture but the fabric of the dress is black velvet. There is an air of sensuality and charm about velvet, and black velvet in particular is quite exquisite. It was a much more elegant change to the quality of velvet fabric seen in stores nowadays. I adored the old Hollywood, glamorous aura this dress carried with the train, the tassels and the cape draped over the right shoulder. The corset style bust created a Gaultier exclusive dress, worn by Dita Von Teese, nothing short of provocative and voluptuous. 

Clockwise from top: Card pack (8 cards with envelopes), Ready-to-wear nail appliques in Blue and White Stripes, Postcard of Nicole Kidman by Peter Lindbergh, The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier From the Catwalk to Australia by Thierry-Maxime Loriot

I couldn’t help but leave the gallery with some Gaultier inspired merchandise. Think of it as the band t-shirt you buy from the illegal seller on the street after the concert, which in this case is completely legal and will be kept on display. As the exhibition is shortly drawing to a close a large amount of the merchandise is on sale, which you can imagine excited the inner bargain hunter in me. An unexpected positive of visiting late! I mainly bought the card pack as it featured the image Immaculate No.3 which I raved about above, and in general card packs attract me. I had been hunting for the nail stickers for over a month as I stupidly thought they were carried in Mecca stores, but I finally had the chance to tick them off my ‘to buy’ list. The Nicole Kidman postcard was to add to my collection of photographs to place on my bedroom door and the book was an inevitable purchase. Overall, I left the exhibition with lovely memories of what I saw, photographs to aid my memories and some physical reminders of my visit.