Jean Paul Gaultier wants to collaborate with K-pop idols

French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier speaks during a press meeting for his first Asian exhibition "Jean Paul Gaultier" at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap

Jean Paul Gaultier's special costume inspired by the traditional Korean hanbok is displayed at the DDP. / Yonhap

By Kim Jae-heun

Jean Paul Gaultier, a French haute couture and pret-a-porter fashion designer, wants to work with a K-pop idol group and attend a K-pop concert.

"I watched some of the K-pop music videos and they are new," said Gaultier during a press meeting for his exhibition, Jean Paul Gaultier, at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul, Friday.

"They give me a lot of inspiration. Hallyu, or the Korean wave, is sweeping the world and Gangnam Style has done well to leave a strong impression in people's minds with its witty content that empathized with the audience. Communicating over the cultural barrier and empathizing with one another is very important."

The French designer has collaborated with American pop stars such as Lady Gaga, Madonna and Marilyn Manson.

The exhibition is one of the events to mark the 130th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic ties and is the first show in Asia, at the same time, a finale for its world tour in partnership with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts that started in 2011 in Canada.

Gaultier said he cannot imagine a more beautiful city in Asia than Seoul to hold his show and he has no more exhibition plans in Asia. But he has hinted he will consider coming back for a special occasion.

"Seoul is full of energy and it's a wonderful city," he said. "I felt the same energy when I visited Japan 30 years ago. I saw many Koreans wear unique and elegant clothes. It's good that you guys accept new things."

The exhibition tour has taken five years to travel around the world and has presented Gaultier's pieces to some 2 million visitors in 11 cities, including Madrid, Stockholm, New York, London and Paris. It will be open to public from today through June 30.

The French designer also held a private opening fashion show yesterday with 45 haute couture pieces. Some were inspired by Korean traditional clothing, the hanbok.

"It's (hanbok) already a beautiful dress," he said. "Korean dress, itself, the shape is beautiful and the volume is beautiful. So I did it with some of my coats.

"I wanted to reinterpret Korean traditional dress in the Gaultier way. I don't know if you can wear it on casual occasions, but it was an interesting opportunity for me."

Gaultier debuted as a fashion designer in 1976 with his ready-made manufacturing business and opened a haute couture house in 1997. After his first show in the 1970s, the French designer earned the nickname of the "enfant terrible" of French fashion for his characteristic irreverent style based on street wear that focused on popular culture. However, his haute couture collections remain formal but playful.

From 2003 to 2010, Gaultier took charge as creative director at Hermes, a French luxury goods maker.

For more information, visit www.Superseries.kr or www.facebook.com/HyundaiCard.

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