JPG's swimsuits-cum-dresses catch Dita's eye in Paris

1 OCTOBER 2008
Jean Paul Gaultier has always had what it takes to make the fashion world sit up and pay attention. This season the creator of Madonna's famous conical corsets did so with a unique dance-inspired collection for next spring whcih brightened these credit crunch-hit times.

With Dita Von Teese front row at his Paris fashion show, the eternal enfant terrible sent a parade of dresses that transformed into swimsuits down the runway. As music boomed out models in sheer gowns untied their outfits to reveal intricate, cut-out swimsuits in luxurious fabrics.

Feather stoles and billowing chiffon skirts swirled freely, emphasising the Parisian maestro's current interest in movement. "To me, clothes on a hanger are simply still-lifes. It's only when someone wears them that they come alive," he explained about the designs, which are inspired by the way dancers twist and drape their garments.

"The idea was to create clothes that have several uses. You can go for a swim, you can also go out and it turns into a dress," he says.

At Balenciaga Salma Hayek and her ex, François-Henri Pinault - the father of her daughter - were among celebrities being treated to a space odyssey. Designer Nicolas Ghesquiere continued his fascination with the futuristic by presenting silver tunics over metallic leggings.

Narrow tailored suits with long boxy jackets that owed more than a little to sci-fi films of the Sixties and Seventies were also among the stand-out pieces.