A bumper year for London fashion fans is set to continue, as legendary designer Jean Paul Gaultier brings his exuberant Fashion Freak Show to the capital.
The fashion designer's theatrical work is a cross between catwalk show and revue, telling the story of his life from childhood and early career through to his greatest fashion shows to date. Known as fashion's enfant terrible, Gaultier's work has gained a reputation for being provocative due to his boundary-pushing designs (case in point: Madonna's famous 'cone bra').
Actors, dancers, musicians and circus acts all feature in the lively production, paying homage to the films, music and dancers that have inspired Gaultier's designs. New clothing items by Gaultier himself get their debut in the show.
Fashion Freak Show is currently on a three-month run at the Folies Bergère music hall in Paris, after which it transfers to Southbank Centre. It follows a the opening of a very successful exhibition about fellow French fashion designer Christian Dior at the V&A. London designer Mary Quant is also the subject of a separate V&A exhibition opening this week.
Jean Paul Gaultier: Fashion Freak Show is at Southbank Centre 23 July-2 August 2019. Tickets cost £30-£120 and go on sale at 10am on Thursday 4 April for Southbank Centre members, and 10am on Friday 5 April for everyone else.
