Irina, Gigi, Bella, Karlie, Winnie & Karen Bid Jean Paul Gaultier A Fashionable Farewell

The casting of Jean Paul Gaultier’s final couture catwalk show was as fabulously theatrical as the fashion itself. The king of kitsch showmanship invited supers, silver-screen muses, pop icons, dancers and model newcomers to take part in his swansong as part of the Fédération de la Haute Couture schedule, which he has been a firm fixture on since 1997.

Lily McMenamy and Karen Elson began the roll call of famous models, and the Hadid sisters, Irina Shayk, Winnie Harlow, Coco Rocha, Jourdan Dunn, Yasmin Le Bon, Estelle Lefébure, Farida Khelfa, Karlie Kloss and Erin O’Connor followed in quick succession. “We have a lot of models that I love who came especially to make my show, so I am very happy,” Gaultier told British Vogue amid the chaos backstage at the Theatre du Châtelet. The feeling was mutual: “I’ve known Jean Paul Gaultier for 25 years and he means so much to me,” Elson chimed in. “He is groundbreaking, creative and all things Rive Gauche. To be here tonight means the world to me.”

Elsewhere, Pedro Almodóvar muse Rossy de Palma took to the runway in ruffles, legendary chanteuse Amanda Lear was hoisted up by two male models wearing red sequins and little else; and French cinema icon Béatrice Dalle and former Miss France Iris Mittenaere literally waved the flag for Gaultier’s home country – the latter wore a cocktail dress crafted out of the national colours.

The provocateur’s diverse line-up – Paris Jackson was also afforded her first catwalk moment – was down to the social circles Gaultier mixes in, but also the open casting. Creatives from all over were invited to audition for the spectacular – which began with a funeral and was peppered with performances by Catherine Ringer of Les Rita Mitsouko and Boy George – because the designer wanted to rally against the elitist nature of couture for one last time.

The one-time enfant terrible took his bow wearing a blue boiler suit and was met with a rapturous reception. But the applause did not stop there. The industry shared its memories of the man who gave fashion sex, androgyny, corsetry, sailor stripes and Madonna in a conical bra via Instagram. “I am very joyful in reality,” Gaultier mused – and it showed.

See fashions tributes to Jean Paul Gaultier below.