Fashion It-Girls Rejoice! The Jean Paul Gaultier and KNWLS Collaboration Is Finally Here

Nothing excites a fashion crowd as much as a Jean Paul Gaultier collaboration. Recently, we've had Glenn Martens of Y/Project, Olivier Rousteing of Balmain, Julien Dossena of Paco Rabanne and Haider Ackerman all take the reigns at Jean Paul Gaultier couture. Each collaboration invited the aforementioned lucky designers to reinterpret Gaultier's archive, with their take then resulting in a runway show for that couture season. However, Gaultier's most recently announced collaboration has taken a different turn, inviting the chosen designer to design directly alongside the brand. Who is it, you ask? None other than the London-based Y2K-loving luxury brand KNWLS.

The collaboration sees the design duo reimagining the future of both brands' legacies, intertwining them while also staying true to their respective design signatures. For all those worrying whether Gaultier's iconic Trompe L'Oeil Tattoo Prints are included, you can relax, safe in the knowledge they've not only been added but embrace a new level of refinement, drawing inspiration from punk and heavy-metal aesthetics. The master of corsetry also brought a contemporary touch to the KNWLS label as the London brand's signature denim suits underwent a transformative makeover under the skilled hands of the renowned French designer. Pieces were reimagined as dresses featuring distinctive conical cups, low-hung trousers, pointed jackets, and bustiers, all completed with laced panels and cut-outs.

'I've always been a fan of KNWLS' work and have collaborated with them in the past,' noted Novembre Global's creative director Florence Tétier, a title she also holds at Jean Paul Gaultier. 'Their world is really connected to the legacy of Jean Paul Gaultier, and it made total sense to give birth to this collection inspired by the very specific vision of the women's body both brands have.'

Captured by Harley Weir and styled by Georgia Pendlebury, the campaign bursts forth with vibrant energy, drawing inspiration from the late 80s and early 90s Jean Paul Gaultier campaigns to create something irreverently sexy and funny - two motifs that undeniably exist at the heart of both Jean Paul Gaultier and KNWLS.