Me and Mr. Jean

Whatever you may think of the tastefulness of Jean Paul Gaultier's new Amy Winehouse inspired line, you have to give the man credit. Gaultier creates clothes that flatter the female form and leave a lasting impression.


All of the clothes in the collection give you a great sense of Winehouse's fashion style (backcombed up-dos, exaggerated cat eyes and frothy red lips) while also evoking Gaultier's aesthetic (masculine/feminine playfulness and attention to the female form). Though some may find the styling "morose" because it is so similar to the dead singer, I think that the over-the-top attention to detail actually makes it less sacrilege. No one is seeing Amy walking the runway, instead we're seeing her fashion forward image like an echo across our retinas. It's like having the fun, devil-may-care prologue without wallowing in the end of of the story. I would have been even more impressed if the models had sat on stools and kicked off their heels.

In terms of the actual looks, I was really impressed by the fitted bomber jacket and ball-gown skirt. It reminds me of how I used to dress my Barbies, pairing the casual with the formal. I also enjoyed the body-conscious pencil skirts and the fit of the dresses though occasionally the fit faltered on the tops. As Michael Kors says, "it's not just about the clothing, it's about the right piece on the right girl" and some of these models were not built for these looks. It made the show seem uneven with some looks looking incredibly polished and other looking slapped together. On the plus side, it wasn't all about the clothes. There were also cute accessories like clutches with lace overlays and platform shoes with funky prints. Overall, the show accomplished what it was meant to. It honored the late singer and pushed Gaultier's style a bit further.