jean paul gaultier
Spring 1995 Jean Paul Gaultier Fin de Siècle Collection Runway Paris Dress
This dress is from one of Gaultier's most memorable runway presentations, the collection where Madonna closed the show pushing an antique pram from which she lifted a young puppy to the great delight of the audience. Vogue'a Laird Borrelli-Persson wrote in her review: “We designers think we’ve invented something, but we haven’t at all,” Jean Paul Gaultier told Vogue when talking about his Fin de Siècle collection, the subject of which was a century of fashion, from S-curve corsets to Lycra. Gaultier’s aim was not to replicate the past: “It’s not modern to do an exact copy,” he told Vogue. “You have to mix up the decades in order to achieve a modern silhouette.” If current fashion is defined by a high-low mix, that of the late 1990s was fixated on an old-new one. “A lot of young girls like old movies and dream to have old dresses that you can’t find anymore,” Gaultier told The New York Times. “I played with that.”
This is look 61 from that same show and true to the runway version. It is actually two pieces, an inner fitted mermaid skirt finish dress with a scenic net overlay that zips over that. The inner dress is made from a lingerie grade stretch Lycra and is cut to hug and fit the body from bust to where the low skirt flares out. The skirt is amazing and poufs out low on the leg in a cloud of silk chiffon over a built in tulle and net base. It is made of three layers of chiffon, white, nude and black over an inner layer of chiffon that is finished with a 4.5" wide stiffened mesh tape that holds it shape and gives it the volume you see. All of the edges of this are left raw as it was for the runway. The straps on this inner dress are clear lingerie straps and the body a deep nude color. The fabric stretches to fit and shape the body. A large chunky zipper runs completely down the back, right to the hem of the skirt. This inner dress is good enough to wear on its own, or you can pop the lace overlay for the full on effect. The lace piece is done in black and has scenes of Paris, the Eiffel Tower and his initials worked into the design that runs all the way around it. It also zips to close with a big chunky zipper and is cut to follow the lines of the inner dress. The back is scooped low on both layers for an unexpected expanse of skin. It is beyond amazing. Overall excellent condition with a special note on the lace overlay to review below.
Both the inner and outer dress close at the back with the chunky zippers as shown..The inner dress is lined in a black stretch chiffon under the nylon lingerie weight exterior. The skirt is comprised of layers as per the above description. The outer lace layer is unlined and there are a couple of tiny breaks in the netting. There is also a tiny area on the seam of the inner skirt that has come away from the seam. All these areas are photoed and follow the photo of the label. My client told me that these are deliberate and in line with the raw, unfinished feel that the skirt has and is how she bought it. I chose to leave it as found based on that feedback and the fact that none seem unstable or comprising tot he design or construction. Hand finished with raw seams at the skirt. tagged a vintage JPG 38. Note the inner and outer dress do have stretch and I have measured both flat to tjeir comfortable ranges. You may be able to get a bit more out of the stretch on a real body.
Inner Dress
Bust: 14-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 11.5-13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from top of shoulder to hem
Outer Lace Layer
Bust: 16-18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 15-19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 39.5" from top of shoulder to hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# DD3116
Reference Photo: S/S 1995 Jean Paul Gaultier Runway Collection, Look 61.
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.
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SIZE GUIDE
Please review all measurements carefully. More often than not, vintage garments do not fit any size category exactly. If in doubt, measure a garment of your own that fits and is a similar cut and compare it's measurements to the listed measurements below.
