Freak is Chic: Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Extravaganza
Image: Mark Senior
As we wrap up London’s Fashion Week, we throwback to Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show at The Roundhouse, London. The extravaganza was a whirlwind tour through the ages - a vibrant and playful celebration of fashion, music, and time.
The show opened in dramatised, on-screen fashion; we were transported back to 1959, France. Set in a clinical hospital, Jean Paul Gaultier’s iconic Teddy, Nana, was stitched back to life to ‘Freak Out!’, followed by a life-sized Teddy emerging on stage as we travelled through time, surrendering to a world of possibilities.
In a fusion of circus and haute couture, ‘Light My Fire’ sonically rippled through the auditorium: ‘The time to hesitate is through…’ Black latex gloves, ribbons and red hair oozed sensuality, as we caught glimpses of the conical bra and corset that has become one of Jean Paul Gaultier’s signature pieces.
Image: Mark Senior
Next up, we transported to 1961 with a nostalgic nod to black and white TV sets, and a backdrop of vintage posters featuring Folies Bergere, the iconic cabaret music hall in Paris. In an explosion of vibrancy, people of colour, skirted in bird-like yellow feathers, grounded the audience as they danced with fierce power on a revolving stage. Other dancers joined them in a joyful celebration of bodies and race.
Shortly after this captivating performance, we peaked into a montage from Gaultier’s childhood. The short film captured a young schoolboy dressed in a black and white striped shirt, a fashion prodigy, sketching designs under the sharp eye of his teacher. Clearly one to break the rules, we transitioned into the 1970s, with Nile Rogers’ impassioned set list of ‘Touch The Sky’ and ‘Move On Up’.
In a free expression of queer identity, we moved effortlessly into 1975, with mirrored choreography and several dancing pairs of lovers that proudly blurred gender lines and fashion codes. With androgynous statement pieces worn by both men and women, gender norms were playfully interchanged, making way for 1976 - the era of punk rock, denim and upcycled patch work: ‘One Way, Or Another…’. Blurred gender roles echoed, as women walked the runway with a rebellious, empowered streak, followed by men dressed promiscuously.
Image: Mark Senior
Unapologetically, we were then led into the 1980s, into the underworld of burlesque and captivating aerial dance. The highly stylised end of Act One thrummed to Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s ‘Relax’, as a world of dominatrix and power play unfolded. This glimpse into Jean Paul Gaultier’s heightened fantasy was mirrored again towards the end of Act Two, with displays of animal fetishes and performers wrapped in bandages: trapped, distorted and disjointed: ‘Everbody’s looking for something - who am I to disagree?’
Gaultier’s fantastical mind extended into Act Two - we’re reminded of the signature conical bra and corset that have influenced iconic stars like Madonna. As the audience were showered in confetti and handed out condoms, we were swept up in the moment. The heights of superstardom were juxtaposed with a heightened awareness of the AIDS crisis, loss and heartbreak, as the ‘fashion police’ interjected for comic relief.
Image: Mark Senior
A moment that continues to resonate is a strip tease led by a full bodied red head, to: ‘This Is A Man’s World.’ Her alluring performance stole everyone’s attention, as she commanded space under a single spotlight - right up until her last empowered strut towards the back of the stage and into the night. In a heart-warming final sequence, fashion becomes a refreshing affirmation - a tool to celebrate beauty in all its forms. Immersed in Gaultier’s freak show, beauty is not and has not been ascribed to a singular body shape, size or race - in this world, lived experiences are celebrated and childhood dreams are fully realised.
The Fashion Freak Show was a part of Beyond + Between, a season at The Roundhouse celebrating queer identity, nightlife, fashion, body image and pop culture. Alongside The Roundhouse's year-long theme of 'Liberation', their upcoming PROCESS series focuses on artistic processes that centre care, creativity and collaboration.
For full details on their upcoming events, the artists involved and their work, see here.
