Daily Front Row

2009 March 9

Escapades at JPG

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Jean Paul Gaultier
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(PARIS) “Do not walk into the mud until the finale!” was the only message to models from Jean Paul Gaultier prior to the start of his Fall 2009 show...which showed exactly how crazy this collection was. There were dozens of energized anti-fur protestors across the street, restless and shouting “Assassin!” for about 40 minutes. Some editors, like Cindi Leive, took a safe route and walked a few blocks without their warm jackets. “I didn’t want to take that chance,” Lieve said, while Anna Piaggi waved them off and focused on her head accessory instead. “It’s a metro ticket,” she explained. “Though it been years since I went underground.” And despite all the PETA-fueled controversy, the actual show was a lot more entertaining and stimulating.

Models paraded in men’s garb, smoked, smelled roses, and did just about anything to elicit excited applause from the crowd in a chic fetish-inspired showcase. Ironically, there was a lot less fur on the runway than in previous fall seasons. “This show was about a dark designer, where the audience had a peek but couldn’t touch!” explained Gaultier. The finale was one for the ages: Coca Rocha, Gaultier’s longtime muse, engaged in a fur-clad mud fight with French actress Bojana Panic, who it turned out was three months pregnant. They threw each other down, got their hair muddy, and had to take long showers afterwards. S&M goddess Betony Vernon had to break up the “fight” onstage. “In fact we didn’t know what the gestures should be, and I said to Jean-Paul, 'I don’t think this should be very violent or erotic,'” the dominatrix explained afterwards. “It should be very peaceful in fact. But the whole feeling of the show was kinky and erotic which I loved!” Nearly everyone in the audience seemed shocked except the elated Beth Ditto. “Mud wrestling is a normal Saturday afternoon for me!” she cracked.
VALENTINE UHOVSKI