Fashion Icons Encyclopedia. Jean Paul Gaultier.

Jean Paul Gaultier was born in a Parisian neighbourhood. He never attended to a fashion school since he didn't think he needed it; magazines and markets were his finest teachers. Pierre Cardin decided to give him a shot when he was still in high school and offered him a part-time job.

In 1976, he debuted his first collection in Paris, after passing through numerous fashion businesses. He has reaped all of the successes under his own name, and because he has and has achieved it, he has not had to give up other professional challenges such as launching his own haute couture line when it was at its lowest point, and designing the wardrobe for over a dozen films and shows ranging from Almodóvar to to Madonna-, hosting a popular show on French television, or overseeing Hermès' creative direction for several seasons.

He was known as the enfant terrible of French fashion, and his designs opened the industry to sensuality, questioned traditional roles, and showcased the ethnic diversity that today exists in the world's major cities. Some of his most iconic contributions to the world of fashion design include the sailor sweater, the fitting jacket, the tin bracelet, and the corset dress.

The designer revealed that his haute couture presentation in January 2020 would be his final after 50 years at the leadership of his namesake brand.