In pictures: Jean Paul Gaultier’s eight guest designers lined up

There is good and bad fashion news. The good news: Duran Lantink from the Netherlands has been appointed creative director of the French fashion house Jean Paul Gaultier. The less good news: with Lantink’s appointment, the special chapter of guest designers at JPG comes to an end.

In 2020, after Jean Paul Gaultier retired from the catwalk, the designer announced that he would open his fashion house to other designers. Each couture season, a new designer would have the opportunity to reinterpret Gaultier’s work and design a contemporary haute couture collection for the house. In total, there were eight. With Lantink’s arrival as permanent creative director, this experimental chapter closes.

How eight designers reinvented Jean Paul Gaultier

Fortunately, the images from this innovative phase at JPG (AW21–SS25) remain. From the feminine eye for tailoring of Sacai founder Chitose Abe to the gender-fluid vision of Ludovic de Saint Sernin, below is an overview of the guest designers who rewrote Gaultier’s signatures in their own way.

Chitose Abe – AW21 couture collection

Chitose Abe, founder of the brand Sacai, was the first guest designer at Jean Paul Gaultier. During Paris Fashion Week in July 2020, she presented the autumn/winter 2021 couture collection.

Abe’s interpretation was praised for its technical layering and patchwork of stripes, feminine corsets and navy details. She effortlessly combined her own style with Gaultier’s DNA.

Glenn Martens – SS22 couture collection

Glenn Martens, currently creative director at Maison Margiela, presented his vision of JPG in January 2022.

Martens drew from the archives of the French fashion house. He incorporated JPG classics such as the cone bra and Breton top into contemporary creations.

Olivier Rousteing – AW22 couture collection

The well-known Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing gave Gaultier’s codes a glamorous update. His autumn/winter 2022 collection was a tribute to the SS94 show Les Tatouages, with translucent fabrics printed with tattoo-like patterns.

Rousteing’s show also contained a striking reference to the famous Le Male perfume bottle, recognisable by its transparent blue torso shape. The designer completed the styling with striking platform shoes that he himself wears daily.

Haider Ackermann – SS23 couture collection

Then Haider Ackermann brought his understated sensuality and minimalism to Gaultier in January 2023. His spring/summer 2023 collection was unanimously praised for its flowing draperies and sharp cut. The show ended with a standing ovation, according to the press present. The SS23 show by JPG, through Ackermann’s eyes, marked a moment of understated elegance within Gaultier’s usually exuberant style codes.

Julien Dossena – AW23 couture collection

Julien Dossena, head designer at Paco Rabanne, presented a collection in autumn of 2023 in which he focused on the iconic Gaultier corset. In a soft peach-pink hue, it contrasted with a silver-grey, sequinned skirt. The cone-shaped cups and visible boning gave a modern twist to a classic that still forms a powerful fashion statement.

Simone Rocha – SS24 couture collection

The British designer Simone Rocha debuted at JPG in January 2024 with a romantic collection featuring large silhouettes, transparent layers, lace and pearls.

Her spring/summer 2024 show displayed distinct volumes and a feminine aesthetic, which suited her own style, which she seamlessly integrated into the world of Gaultier.

Nicolas Di Felice – AW24 couture collection

Nicolas Di Felice, creative director of Courrèges, opted for a minimalist approach in June 2024.

The designer kept the rich, visual language of the French house to a minimum. The collection focused on clean lines and just a few colours.

Ludovic de Saint Sernin – SS25 couture collection

Ludovic de Saint Sernin concluded the guest designer era with a high-profile spring/summer 2025 show. He presented a gender-fluid collection with sleek corsets, transparent fabrics and sensual bows.

‘Le Naufrage’ exuded desire and drama and challenged conventions surrounding masculinity and femininity. Several looks underscored this vision: a deep décolleté with a corset, a harness with pheasant feathers, and a skirt suit with briefs and muslin.

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