Jean Paul Gaultier Couture Spring 2023 is with Haider Ackermann

Sublime. This is the word that echoes several times at the end of the Jean Paul Gualtier Haute Couture Spring 2023 by Haider Ackermann show. A success also punctuated by the final standing ovation, the applause of the parterre of international guests, the top models, including Maria Carla Boscono, Saskia De Brauw, Awar Odhiang, and Aymeline Valade, who cry embracing both designers. Haider Ackermann — the Colombian-born designer perhaps best known in recent months for that red satin jumpsuit with an American neckline worn by Ackermann's image par excellence, i.e. Timothée Chalamet on the red carpet of the Venice Film Festival — is the fourth designer invited to create a couture collection for Jean Paul Gaultier — after names of creative directors of the caliber of Oliver Rousteing (Balmain), Glenn Martens (Y/Project and Diesel) and Chitose Abe (Sacai).

In line with the "temperature" of these latest fashion shows, couture and otherwise, this collection explores the most essential side of Gualtier's soul and intersects it with Ackermann's clean cuts, color and fluidity. Dresses with feathers that adorn the necklines of long architectural dresses, cannot fail to make one think of Jean Paul Gaultier's first couture collection in 1997 where enormous parrot feathers rested on the shoulder straps and arms of a bustier dress. And then the suiting lines of men's clothes that become a dress echo the couture fashion shows for Spring 2004 and Spring 2013, with tailcoats for her too. No pointed cone bras, but satin volumes on brassieres, body dresses that seem so impalpable as to be assimilated like a second skin, pointed decorations that cover the breast and approach the face, suits for him and her in iridescent fabric quills were applied one by one. A necklace for the shoulders, a torchon of crystals as one of the few very elegant frills, high-waisted trousers with sashes and skinny legs, looks in shimmering sequins from head to toe. No exaggerations, almost no noise, not even the music has a real beat but a narrative voice, up to the notes of "Baraye" by Shervin Hajipoor, a song that symbolizes the protests in Iran. An hour-long time due to the slow progress of the models, a bit like the first couture fashion shows where the mannequins paraded calmly and sinuous so that the public could fully admire outfit after outfit. After all, it's in perfect Haider style, against the tide, in defiance of trends and the speed of social media that eats everything and takes everything away. Even the pleasure of good fashion, which is felt here without the need for grand strategies. Just nice clothes.

>>Scroll down to see the video of the show