Karl Lagerfeld (German, b. 1935). Untitled (Alek Wek) Numéro, March 2000. “Dubar” gown from Jean Paul Gaultier’s “Romantic India” women’s spring-summer haute couture collection of 2000. Camouflage evening gown featuring myriad khaki, cinnamon, and papaya tulle ruffles. © Karl Lagerfeld
After Giorgio Armani at the Guggenheim and Alexander McQueen at the Met, the fusion of art and fashion seems to be firmly institutionalized—just the kind of convention that French designer Gaultier loves to shake up. Hired without formal training as an 18-year-old assistant to Pierre Cardin in 1970, he went on to head the ultra-conservative house of Hermès, yet made his name by defying haute couture strictures of “beauty” and seizing on references from popular culture. Presented with countless projections, videos, photographs and “talking” mannequins (think Tony Oursler), it’s all here: the French sailor look, the cone bra immortalized by Madonna (or vice versa?), a dress made entirely of belts, various tributes to S&M, the punk scene and global cultures, and even the occasional overweight model. In short, a pretty good parallel for the glorious mess of contemporary art—but with better tailoring.