Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2018 Couture

That old black magic has me in its spell
That old black magic that you weave so well
Those icy fingers up and down my spine
The same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine

The same old tingle that I feel inside
And then that elevator starts its ride
And down and down I go, round and round I go
Like a leaf that's caught in the tide

I should stay away but what can I do?
I hear your name and I'm aflame
Aflame with such a burning desire
That only your kiss can put out the fire

'Cause you are the lover I have waited for
The mate that fate had me created for
And every time your lips meet mine

Darling, down and down I go, round and round I go
In a spin, loving the spin that I'm in
Under that old black magic called love

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Now, now... This just came to mind having looked at this collection over and over... JPG is a reason to examine and adore couture. He has signatures, fantasy, skills, vision, humor, and understands how to speak to his ladies. Each and every season I hear in my head one of my very first mentors who pounded into me that “don’t forget he is first and foremost a tailor!”

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Even though there was a plethora of black and white pieces, the bright colors were fabulously welcomed here. What is intriguing here is that many of the fabrications are incredibly couture quality and not in a subtle way. They are as over the top as some of clothes. They are clothes that require a closer look.

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Couture to me is a way of furthering and experimenting with one's DNA and he certainly does it with great aplomb... Take for instance the trench then the pinstripes, then the suitings and then we can speak of the fringe festival which adds humor and possibilities to pieces that most designers do not have the skill to work with. IMHO nothing is quite as simple as it seems and yet there were exquisitely simple modern suits and gowns that would or could appeal to just about anyone of any age, he rarely if ever uses gratuitous sex tricks to shock since he takes care of that through the clothes and the bad boy styling that he has become so famous for.

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Just about the smartest move this man made was to exit the RTW business and focus on the amazing possibilities that are only offered in couture. Off on a tangent, I believe that what he did for Hermes was without equal and proved that he was a helluva lot more than shock and awe and shoulder pads.