Jean Paul Gaultier 2010 Couture

John Paul Gaultier’s theme this year was Mexican.  The story is that he attended an exhibition on Montezuma, the Aztec emperor, last year which set his inspiration for this line.  I had to look at some of these pieces several times.  Some grew on me, others did not.  Let’s have a look. 

I am not feeling these two pieces.

Initially, I didn’t see anything remarkable about this next outfit until I saw the purse.  Then I looked at the shoes.  Finally, I really looked at the suit.  Now I love it. 

How cool is this purse?

The shoes are just as much fun. 

Here is another purse.  I think these purses are wonderful.

While the dress below has a lot of neat components, it comes off more like a costume.

I think this dress is amazing.  Not because it is drop dead gorgeous, but because the workmanship in this dress is so amazing.

So, what do you think?  Yay or nay on this line?  I think I want a margerita for dinner.

Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture 2009

Jean Paul Gaultier’s show took us down movie memory lane, so to speak, as he showed us movie star outfits through the generations.  Some of the outfits were 40′s glamour, others were modern/futuristic.

Here’s the outfit:

Here’s the boots:

A few over the knee boots were offered.  We are seeing several boots with this silouette in stores now.

Another dress:

Here’s the shoe:

OK, I am not sure what is going on here, but Eww.

Last outfit:

Note how the trim looks like 8mm film. 

Here are other shoes Jean Paul Gaultier offered this year:

These boots look like they would be difficult in real world wear.  Look how strange they look on just the cat walk.

A beautiful maryjane. 

This is probaby my favorite, the T strap.  Notice the shiny hosery.

There were three or four different color combinations of the following shoe.  I think this one will be the one to show up on red carpets.

Overall, the shoes were very nice.  Not as artistic as Valentino, but still a lot of fun.  To see the whole line go to Style.com

Love at First Sight

At least once a month, and sometimes more frequently than that, I find a shoe that makes me feel like an infatuated teenager with a secret crush.

So, please meet my current crush, one that made my heart beat just a little faster when I stumbled upon it:

Jean Paul Gaultier’s houndstooth T-strap pump.

Can you tell that I’m an absolute sucker for menswear inspired styles?

What do I love?

• The Houndstooth print.
• The Wingtip/spectator styling
• The Retro T-strap.
• The Goth/punk/industrial feel of the over-sized buckle strap.
• The Zig-zag topstitching contrast.

What’s not to love?

Okay, perhaps the price-tag: $665 at Shopbop; this is not particularly expensive for a high-end designer shoe. It is, however far beyond the normal budgetary allowances of this Shoeblogger. 

Even so, I’m really feeling the love for this baby. How about you?

Paris Runway Shoes Roundup: Elegant Boredom.

 Or Elegandom, if you want. Whatever! Here’s Elie Saab (left) and Valentino (right):

Gray, elegant, shiny, no doubt gorgeous. But also a little…bored. Kinda…done. Don’t get me wrong, I would admire these shoes on someone else (not on myself, I couldn’t walk in these)–but I probably wouldn’t call them revolutionary. But yeah, yeah, they’re nice.

The feeling of recycled intensifies with the Jean-Paul Gaultier collection: sort of sassy, but a sass that has been done before and we know too well: shiny croc prints and buckles, ribbon-tied open-toed oxfords, neon-tights with strappy sandals:

Not terrible, no, noooo. But neither beautiful nor exciting, in my opinion.  I think I’ll wait this round. Next, please!

Jean Paul Gaultier Shoes for Fall 2008: Overkill or Roadkill?

Jean Paul Gaultier created the beautiful gown worn by Marion Cotillard at the Oscars, taking his inspiration from the natural world, more specifically from fish scales. This past week in Paris, however, he might have overdone a little the animal-inspiration. For once, I can’t decide whether these boots are overkill (as some fashion critics labeled his show) or… roadkill: