PARIS FASHION WEEK: Gaultier's finale line-up
Jean Paul Gaultier, it seems, is in the mood for dancing - as if the dance-hall venue, ballet school decor and modern dance troupe limbering-up and then performing an interpretive dance to open his show wasn't enough of a clue, Gaultier also had his favourite all-rounder Coco Rocha perform a improvised bullerias as the first exit (remember he's made her dance a highland-fling before, this season she got off lightly). It was what she performed it in, though, that was most interesting: a draped , taped and wrapped raspberry chiffon dress that uncoiled at the waist to become a maillot swimsuit. The following exits also double-tasked, unfurling into flowing fabric and tight integrated bodies as Gaultier gave his cutting skills a work-out to equal that of his dancers. There were airs of the twenties and thirties in the relaxed tailoring, wide palazzo pants and later flapper dresses rendered in fruit sorbet shades of strawberry, lime and tangerine and dangling furs to match. Lest you fear that this dancehall extravaganza would only surrender sportif activewear and showgirl drama, with nothing of Gaultier's formidable tailoring, fret ye not. His suits had a run-through too, although again they were pulled and pushed, twisted by and around the body in motion. Nevertheless, shrewd as his is, Gaultier ensured they still came with the signature strongly tailored shoulderline and cinched waist that makes sense for his core clientele.