5 minutes with Jean Paul Gaultier

5 Minutes with Jean Paul Gaultier

This month French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier launches his Scandal fragrance in North America. (It debuted in Europe last year to rave reviews.) Here, Jean Paul gives us a quick look into his creative word.

Five minutes with Jean Paul Gaultier

 

Dave: How would the Scandal woman react to an actual Scandal?

Jean Paul Gaultier: The woman behind Scandal would totally assume. She would not care about what other say. I always loved strong women: never bothered by a judgement that society may bear on them. (Grace Jones and Madonna are good friends.)

 

DL: What is the key to a long career in fashion and fragrance?

JPG: The rule is not to follow the rules and mainly have fun.

 

DL: Scandal, what does the world mean to you?

JPG: The biggest scandal for me is injustice.

Jean Paul Gaultier creation for the Scandal ad campaign

 

DL: How scandalous do you think a scandal can be today?

JPG: The scandal today is that there is no scandal.

 

DL: Describe the Jean Paul Gaultier brand in three words.

JPG: Creative, French, fun

DL: What’s your favourite part about creating fragrances?

JPG: Fragrance is like a piece of clothing, it is something we wear on our skin. Creating something so personal and intimate is a wonderful experience.

 

DL: What do you think it takes to be a successful designer?

JPG: Passion. If you have passion, anything is possible.

The fragrance:

Launch: Scandal

Fragrance style: a honey chypre with a floral addiction

Notes: blood orange, honey, patchouli, gardenia, mandarin, orange blossom, jasmine, caramel, woods

Master perfumers: Daphne Bugey, Fabrice Pellegrin and Christopher Raynaud created the fragrance – each working on a different part of the composition