Evening ensemble

Gaultier established his "bad boy" reputation in ready-to-wear and is known mostly for the corset ensembles worn by Madonna. His collections, however, have always been informed by other paradigmatic garment types like the pea jacket, the trench coat, and the French mariner's sweater. When he launched his couture house in 1997, Gaultier embraced materials and techniques once precluded by the ready-to-wear manufacturing process but did not abandon the themes and imagery of his earlier work.

In this ensemble, Gaultier combines high, midcentury French style with imagery from the Far East. His Nehru jacket recalls Christian Dior's New Look "Bar" jacket, and is lavishly embroidered skirt cites the exoticism of early-twentieth century Chinese export shawls. Less obviously, the skirt's construction refers to similar garments of the 1890s.

Haute couture, unlike ready-to-wear, allows the client to have direct involvement in the transposition of a design from runway to wardrobe. Here, the most notable change was the shortening of the skirt's train. Still, a loop of silk satin remains on the underside of the hem so the wearer can drape the skirt over her wrist when dancing. Passementerie buttons down the center back release or control the fullness of the train. In a couture flourish, each ball button of silk cording is handmade.