ODE TO FREE WOMEN

The Perfume Woman by Jean Paul Gaultier

FEBRUARY 2024 - Scent

“I don't like dreams or reality. I like when dreams become reality, because this is my life”

Jean Paul Gaultier

We are in the 90s, the era of absolutely perfect super models, of the celebs of the walkman and videocassettes, of MTV and above all of fashion as an affirmation of independence and sensuality.  These were the years of unbridled luxury and glamour, of parties and cocktail parties, of provocation and a femininity that is synonymous with expression. 

 

In 1976 a young Jean Paul Gaultier presented his personal collection and quickly gained notoriety thanks to his bold and provocative style, which would remain indelible throughout his very long career. Her approach to fashion is innovative, skilfully mixing traditional elements with a touch of rebellion and provocation, Gaultier grafts street and pop culture elements into high fashion and challenges conventional beauty canons. The Parisian designer, deeply connected to his city and neighborhoods such as Pigalle and Saint-Germain, contributes to shaping a new era, a free, sexy and revolutionary era. It is he, with his spectacular fashion shows that overturn conventions and deconstruct the concept of gender, that makes sailor T-shirts, armored corsets, men in kilts and women with androgynous style iconic.

 

In 1993 he launched Classique, a perfume that quickly achieved a resounding success, thanks to an iconic bottle that is a tribute to all the women who inspired him. From grandmother to Madonna, from childhood icons to punk creatures: this olfactory tribute is dedicated to them, embodying her idea of a powerful, free woman who knows how to assert herself but also have fun.

Classique is the opposite of the classic woman. Classique is the opposite of the classic woman.
Classique is the opposite of the classic woman. Classique is the opposite of the classic woman.

Classique is the opposite of the classic woman. And in fact, it invites every woman to express her individuality in a bold and unapologetic way. The bottle itself becomes a symbol of emancipation, a visual statement that embodies Gaultier’s approach to fashion and life. 

 

For Jean Paul Gaultier, Classique must seduce and reveal all his personality at a glance. The creator therefore does what he does best: he subverts the ordinary and dresses his perfume in a corset. Yes, because with Jean Paul Gaultier the corset abandons its oppressive function and becomes a garment that liberates, to be proudly and sensually shown.

 

Through this fragrance we want to evoke a woman who, tight in her corset, embodies the fighting spirit of all women, who face life with strength and embrace their femininity without fear. A perfume as a symbol of emancipation: this is the intuition of the enfant terrible of fashion.

by Francesca Russano
Jean Paul Gaultier Campaign Eau de Toilette
Jean Paul Gaultier - Lithograph according to the preparatory drawing for the perfume "Classique Femme" by Jean-Paul Gaultier