Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition to open at the Barbican

Jean Paul Gaultier and Beth Ditto, lead singer of Gossip. Photograph: Patrice Stable/Jean Paul Gaultier

French couturier and fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier is the subject of an exhibition opening in April at the Barbican. Recognised for his intricately crafted and forward thinking yet populist pieces, Gaultier has created costumes for Kylie Minogue and iconic garments such as the conical bustier. The exhibition’s London presentation is co-curated by Leila Hasham, who spoke to the Hackney Citizen about what visitors can expect from the show.

What do you think Gaultier’s wide appeal is?

He doesn’t take himself too seriously and his designs are distinctively different from traditional couture. Gaultier questions stereotypes, standards, codes of convention and transforms, appropriates and reassembles his garments, giving them a new twist. He’s not influenced by fashion per se but by the world around him, its cultures and traditions and plays with the established societal and aesthetic notions of good taste. In that sense he gives people the confidence to try anything and be experimental with how they look.

The exhibition is put together by Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA). Why do you feel the Barbican is the right place to host it?

MMFA proposed the exhibition to the Barbican a few years ago. Gaultier is a designer with a true generosity of spirit and a humanist aesthetic, which he combines with an unbridled imagination and a prowess for technical design. His celebration of diversity and his open-minded vision of society where everyone can be proud to be different is crucial for our times. Also, as a cross-arts venue, and with Gaultier often collaborating across different platforms, we thought it was a perfect match.

Gaultier is recognised for his interest in clothes within the context of wider society. He does not work solely within the fashion industry and with fashion models. What from the show best demonstrates this?

Gaultier has worked with film directors from Luc Besson, Peter Greenaway and most notably the Spanish director, Pedro Almodóvar. He also paved the way for designers to work with choreographers and he collaborated with the French choreographer, Régine Chopinot over a 10-year period. However, he is probably most recognised for his work with musicians from the rock and pop world – Madonna being the most famous example. And of course, for having brought us the wonderful cult TV programme Eurotrash.

The Barbican describes the exhibition as “an installation rather than a conventional fashion retrospective”. Can you explain in more detail?

The exhibition is very theatrical; some of the mannequins rotate on round plinths, or move along a mechanised catwalk and some come alive with interactive faces that either smile, wink or sing at you, surprising visitors with their lifelike presence. The installation is given added drama by treating each thematic in a different way, as well as some of the models sporting wonderful hairstyles designed by Odile Gilbert. (Odile is a widely respected hair designer, who has worked closely with Gaultier over the years, but also works across the fashion weeks and couture shows with top designers.)

Exhibiting garments on mannequins is very different to exhibitions of photography and painting. Do you feel that the Barbican has successfully accommodated this medium? What has been challenging about this process?

This show builds on previous Barbican exhibitions dedicated to celebrating avant-garde couture, from The House of Viktor & Rolf in 2008 to most recently, Future Beauty: 30 years of Japanese Fashion in 2010. It’s been a real honour and pleasure to work so closely with Maison Jean Paul Gaultier and Montreal Museum of Fine Arts on this exhibition. The only real challenge will be to stop myself from touching all the exquisite garments as they’re unpacked.

How can visitors get even more out of the exhibition?

The Barbican is producing its first ever app, which will include an introductory video by Gaultier; exploration of key themes from the exhibition; insights from exhibition curators on the impact of Gaultier on the world of fashion, as well as behind the scenes at Odile Gilbert’s Paris studio, interviews with models, photographers and even a recording with the creator of Gaultier’s Spitting Image puppet.

What is your favourite garment from the exhibition?

There are too many to choose from and all of them have different appeal in terms of the design or the concept. If you made me choose, I would probably go for the multi-coloured, pleated taffeta corset from The Boudoir section – it’s rather beautiful!

The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk is at The Barbican, Silk St, London EC2Y 8DS from 9 April 2014 – 25 August.