The fashion waters appeared to be fairly calm over the past couple of weeks, but as with nature there always seems to be a storm brewing close by. This week our metaphorical fashion storm came in the form of an open letter from Jean Paul Gaultier addressed to well-known fashion writer Tim Blanks.
Blanks wrote a somewhat scathing review of Gautlier’s Fall 2013 couture collection saying of the designer and his collection, “few outfits later, a “millefeuille de mousselines” echoed Yves Saint Laurent’s way with color, as a reminder that Gaultier was once considered the one true heir to the throne of French fashion. But that was once upon a time, and that time has, sad to say, well and truly passed.”
Gaultier responded via Twitter:
Dear Tim,
Once upon a time you liked my shows “but that time has truly passed” and I respect it. But the Tim I knew before would never have made the attacks that are more personal than proffesional [sic]. I always had girls in my shows from different social strata, treating someone as down-market is cheap.
In future, rather than be bored at my shows, you can use that time to do something else, for example brush up on your fashion history so you’ll kow that “mille feuille de mousseline” didn’t echo Saint Laurent, it was inspired by a Nina Ricci dress from 1967 in homage to Gerard Pipard who recently passed away.
If you’re nostalgic for the time when I was considered the one true heir to the throne of French fashion please buy a ticket for my exhibition now in Stockhold [sic] and soon in Brooklyn and London. Good Visit.
A former yours in fashion
Jean Paul Gaultier
What do you think of Gaultier’s open letter? Are his comments just as “personal” as he claims Blanks’ are?
By Kristianne Young
