Jean Paul Gaultier is entering a new era under the creative direction of Florence Tétier. A relative unknown who’s spent years behind the scenes in publishing and art direction, Tétier’s first step has been to relaunch JPG ready-to-wear, which the brand discontinued in 2015. For drop number one, she’s put the focus on the marinière. At the same time, she’s asked the couture atelier to create six one-of-a-kind, made-by-hand striped shirts, underlining the brand’s commitment to the métier.
Gaultier launched his brand in the late 1970s, and it wasn’t long until the striped sailor shirt, or marinière, was part of his “uniform.” It soon became a brand signature too. Inspired by his childhood wardrobe and by Rainer Fassbinder’s 1982 film Querelle, Gaultier showed striped shirts in his 1984 “Boy Toy” menswear collection. When he introduced couture in 1997, the nautical inspiration sailed with him, elevating what is traditionally a humble cotton top with materials like marabou feathers, sequins, and fur. See some of them here.
