If any designer knows divas it’s … okay, fine — all of them. But Jean Paul Gaultier especially is a foremost expert on the subject, having dressed Madonna in the iconic cone bra for her “Blond Ambition” tour, and then in her “Confessions” tour, along with Marilyn Manson, and so many other very famous performers. He pioneered the underwear-as-outerwear look that every self-respecting (and otherwise) female pop star pretty much has to wear these days. But Gaultier’s intimate sartorial relationships with divas began when he was a wee thing of 7 years old, dressing up his teddy bear. Some of his thoughts on divas, from an interview with the Telegraph:
On French First Lady Carla Bruni’s style:
“She’s been so clever because she’s playing the role of the First Lady and she’s doing it well. Carla would have been assassinated if she’d dressed the way she normally likes to dress. Then when she’s promoting her albums, she dresses as a singer again.”
On putting his stuffed diva teddy bear in teddies:
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“The first coned-shaped bra I made was for that bear. Then the first time open heart surgery was performed, he had to undergo that too. The poor thing went through a lot. When the Duchess of Kent got married and Queen Fabiola of Belgium, he had to wear wedding dresses. But he’s a catastrophe now. You should see him: he needs silicone and Botox - the whole lot.”
On divas in his home country of France:
“I’ve always felt more at home in the UK than in France. There is a particular humour in Britain that you don’t find elsewhere, and one can see that in the way you dress. You’re so good at making fun of yourself here, whereas in France people feel that they always have to be serious, tasteful, and adhere to ‘the code’.”
On scary intense diva, Lady Gaga:
“I think she’s talented and very inpolitically incorrect, which I love. But I also think that she read up on Madonna’s life and learnt it like the Bible.”
Jean-Paul Gaultier interview [Telegraph UK]
