Jean Paul Gaultier, the great French couturier, opened tonight’s festivities backstage at the Ritz, making the final adjustments to the haute couture gown he had designed for singer-songwriter Aya Nakamura. After a final lacing of her corset, the singer stepped onto the Place Vendôme runway, setting the tone for a celebration of the union of fashion and sport, as well as the legacy and excellence of French haute couture. Jean Paul Gaultier says he loves the effervescent backstage atmosphere in the moments before a show.
Even as he was preparing his very special first model, Aya Nakamura, to emerge from the corridors of the Ritz and onto the runway for this unique one-night event, he recalled fond memories of his first shows. “I’m backstage just doing my job,” he tells . “Adjusting a corset, unfolding the train.
..” and he then adds, with a burst of laughter, “Oh, but I remember when I first started out, it was a mess! There was one show in a café-theatre where the music had already started and the models weren’t even dressed.
” Here, Gaultier tells us about creating Nakamura’s look for tonight’s show-stopping moment. : Is this the first time you’ve met Aya Nakamura? I knew of her, of course, her songs, her hits, but I didn’t know her personally. I’m very happy we’ve met.
She’s extraordinary! Her body language, her beauty...
: Aya and Gaultier feel like a match made in heaven – she’s someone who belongs in your shows. I really like her per.
