Paris — Twelve years ago, Haider Ackermann presented its Fall/Winter 2011 show and quickly became a fashion legend. Set to Leonard Cohen’s “A Thousand Kisses Deep,” this presentation had a haunting emotional depth that set the bar incredibly high. Since then, he and I have pursued the best.
The news that Ackermann would become the third guest designer for Jean Paul Gaultier’s couture line did not immediately suggest that the chase may be over. An uplifting opportunity to look forward to.
And Wednesday night, with Gaultier himself taking center stage, a treat was being prepared for Catherine Deneuve, Tilda Swinton, and Timothée Chalamet (for Timothy, with some of the masculine looks Hyder is about to show). ) and the full company of Ackermann followers. To quote respected British dance contest judge Craig Revel Horwood, it was FAB-U-LOUS.
After the show, Ackermann, who drove off an enthusiastic crowd, said that although Gaultier’s theater was wonderful, he wanted to avoid it and return to the all-white tailoring he had always loved most. I was looking for the purity of looking at one piece.” That might have seemed like a tall order for a master of fashion’s erotic rigor, but a dive into the archives reveals Ackermann to Gaultier. I was amazed at how much we had in common. His in the collection stems from what he finds in the archives. “When you analyze the fragments, you can tell where they came from.”
Anyone familiar with Ackerman at his best recognizes his breathtaking precision (still badly cut trousers) or his intense color combinations or single wham bum influence. Given that the A thin strand of diamonds across one model’s naked back ends in another strand’s equally delicate swing of a pendulum (courtesy of Vuitton Jewelmaster Francesca Amfitheatroff). But that being said, Ackermann’s tribute to JPG was a deep and complex one. Alana Zimmer’s explosive purple columns echoed Gaultier’s early mentor Pierre Cardin, and the feathers bursting from his black tuxedo jacket mirrored his 1997 couture pieces. increase. A high-necked, long-sleeved yellow plisse gown recalled Hollywood luxury designer Adrian, along with the film that shaped young Jean Paul’s mind. Of course there was also a bustier.there is had Because it’s the Madonna moment that embeds Gaultier in pop culture forever.
And like a classic Irving Penn or Richard Avedon photograph, a group of black dresses that were sculptural couture at its purest were staged by choreographer Pat Bogslawski. It acknowledged Gaultier’s greatness as an artist and opened a new chapter in Ackermann’s career. At the same time, he’s been touted online for a new collaboration with FILA. “Both are about body and posture.” The message came across clearly. Haider his Ackerman is ready to face the world again. all platform.
Now for an important footnote. Gaultier has always been keen to bring social awareness to his shows. His fashion was never in isolation. Wednesday’s soundtrack was hider at its purest, but it was also much more. It started with a heartbeat, an incoming murmur, a flurry of ambient noise that slowed the room down and hushed us up. Until that sound turned into a song written for Martha Amini, a woman whose death in police custody sparked ongoing upheaval in Iran. The songwriter has been imprisoned ever since. “He was talking about freedom,” said Ackermann. “And we’re talking about women with haute couture. But we can’t forget what’s going on. I wanted to have a memory of all the women there. I wanted something really quiet.The world is screaming loud and I needed to get some peace of mind.”