By The Whippet, Aug 13 2018 06:39PM
It's quite amazing, what you find when flicking through old editions of fashion glossies like Vogue for research on articles. Jean-Paul Gaultier's images for his SS98 campaign based on the themes and works of Frida Kahlo stopped us in our tracks. The styling, the colours, the creativity could be ripped from one of Gucci or Dior's 2018 campaigns. Such is the crispness of form, subtlety of colour (in the garments) contradicted by the vibrancy of the Mexican motifs. Somehow, this seems more current than many of the collections seen in Milan or Paris this year. It also contains themes that many current designers, established and fledgling, have regurgitated time and time again for their own collections. Mexican roses, double layer garments in complementary colours and contrasting textures, S&M inspired bodices with romantically medieval dresses and skirts, the depiction of Jesus in a contemporary manner, bleeding hearts and hearts entwined with bloody thorns. It is all there, like a secret reference ‘paint by numbers’ instruction kit on how to create 'stunning' collections. So thank you JPG for inspiring the less creative and talented fool us all for 2 decades.
