Jean Paul Gaultier at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts

Corcirico ensemble for men Haute Couture Fall Winter 2011/2012 collection Jean Paul Gaultier

This men's haute couture ensemble from Jean Paul Gaultier's Fall/Winter 2011 line is one of the additions to the exhibition The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk. This exhibition which was curated by Nathalie Bondil and Thierry-Maxime Loriot of the Montreal Museum of Fine Art opened yesterday at the Dallas Museum of Art. To read more about Gaultier's design aesthetic and this exhibition, read my article in Vintage and Modern here.

Photo credit: Photo by Patrice Stable courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier

The Art of the Interview

Nathalie Bondil, Jean Paul Gaultier and Thierry-Maxime Loriot at the MMFA
Photo courtesy of the MMFA

Conducting an interview is like a dance. There is a back and forth between interviewer and interviewee that requires finesse and sensitivity. Your senses have to be on high alert, gauging their mood and reactions to your questions, listening to their responses, coming up with the next question..... Depending on their willingness to participate, it can be exhilarating or it can be like pulling teeth.

To my utter surprise and delight, my interviews with Nathalie Bondil, Director and Chief Curator of the Montreal Museum of Fine Art and exhibition curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot fell into the exhilarating category. Generous with their time, charming and articulate, they made my job in writing for Fashion Projects look easy. My interview with Nathalie Bondlin was published on Fashion Projects on Wednesday and can be read here.  And my interview with Thierry-Maxime Loriot was published today and can be read here.

And although I did not interview Jean Paul Gaultier directly, I was at the back of a group of about ten journalists and I can attest to his sweet, funny and humble nature. The one thing he said that has stuck with me was this:  "Be yourself. Have confidence in yourself. Live your dream." 

Jean Paul Gaultier's Teddy Bear with a Shell Bra
Photo by Ingrid Mida 2011

The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier

Jean Paul Gaultier
Photo courtesy of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

I'm off to Montreal this morning to attend tomorrow's press preview of The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk. And I'm going even though there is a looming strike at Air Canada and there are a myriad of important events on the schedule for this week.

From what I've read and seen in the advance press materials, the show is going to be spectacular. I was granted interviews with curators Nathalie Bondil and Thierry Maxime Loriot and will be writing an exhibition review for Fashion Projects.

In preparation for my trip, I looked back at posts I wrote about Gaultier in the past (of which there are nine!). I also reread my posts from June 2008 about the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective which also was held at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Back then, I wished that I'd been able to attend the opening for that exhibition and three years later I have just such an invitation in hand....

My Fashion Calendar for June

Invite to the Jean Paul Gaultier Opening Night Party

In the past few months, I've traveled to New York, LA, San Francisco, San Diego, and Paris in the quest of art and fashion. Although I am a bit weary, the show that looks to be the most promising in terms of spectacle is the Jean Paul Gaultier retrospective at the Musee des Beaux Arts in Montreal. This show called "The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier" is a celebration of the designer's 35 year career. Opening to the public on June 17th, the exhibition will later travel to Dallas and San Francisco.  I will  be attending the press preview on June 13th to interview the curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot and to write a review for Fashion Projects.  The opening night event just might to be THE party of the season, and of course that necessitated a new frock by Jean Paul Gaultier which is awaiting its debut in my closet.

Also on my calendar is this Thursday's party at the Spoke Club for Rent-Frock-Repeat This is a business that offers cocktail and evening gowns for rental.  Apparently, all it takes is a click of a mouse to chose from RfR’s inventory of designer collections and two sizes of the dress will be delivered to the customer's home or office. After the party, the dresses go back in a postage paid package. It is that simple! And what a clever idea for those that like to keep their look up-to-the-minute.

Beyond that, I will be speaking to costume history students again at Ryerson University and also have a writing deadline for Worn Fashion Journal. And then, I'm looking forward to a relatively quiet summer, especially as the sun has finally made an appearance in Toronto and my backyard beckons.