I’m in two minds about Jean Paul Gaultier’s Amy Winehouse-inspired spring/summer 2012 haute couture show at Paris Fashion Week yesterday.
Part of me loved the cheeky fashion tribute to Winehouse: the models sporting her signature towering beehive barnet with heavy eyeliner flicks, fake beauty spots and smoking fags whilst tottering down the runway in the highest of heels.
I also loved the barbershop rendition of Winehouse’s songs; the monochromatic booby bustiers with teeny-tiny cinched-in waists and fitted mini dresses in satin.
There were even Fred Perry-esque dress which made me think of Amy’s excellent collaboration with the British brand:
The other part of me felt slightly uncomfortable when all the models came out for the finale in black lace veils – that was sad. And I wasn’t sure about all the bras on display, either – certainly a trademark of Amy’s fo sho, but at this point I wondered if we were paying tribute to her or slightly taking the piss? Although, we all know JPG is a fan of the ol’ sleb statement bra: Madge and her pointy Blonde Ambition cones, anyone?
Gaultier said backstage that although he had never met Amy, their “styles had always been similar”. Even though he tends to dress like a Gallically, er, gay Popeye. JPG continued:
She was an icon of fashion and the sense of how she mixed clothes was great.
With the likes of Beth Ditto and Dita Von Teese in the audience, the beautifully sad show certainly got people talking. Though Amy’s father Mitch was pretty peeved, telling The Sun:
Those pictures were a total shock. We’re still grieving for her loss, and we’ve had a difficult week with the six-month anniversary of Amy’s death. To see her image lifted wholesale to sell clothes was a wrench we were not expecting or consulted on.
Amy’s pal Kelly Osbourne has also been ranting on Twitter. If you can decipher all the typos, this is what she said:
They had 3 men singing rehab & models walking in death vials, its barley been 6 months since her passing! Wrong. I <3 the collection it was just distastefully executed! its just 2 soon he turned his obsession into attention.
Whaddya you lot reck? A touching tribute? Or just bad taste? Watch the show and decide for yourself:
Comments
Peaches
Definitely executed at the wrong time – it’s still so hard for the family, and now this! However, I have to say the collection looks great
Natalie
It’s a shame, isn’t it? Cos you’re right: the collection itself is pretty amazing; it’s just still a bit too raw to be tasteful. Silly JPG.