In January with news that shook the fashion industry, Jean Paul Gaultier announced that he would be retiring. With a career that spans over 5 decades, the 67-year-old designer confirmed that his next Couture collection would be his last. 

Not much else was known at the time but Gaultier did give us a cryptic clue that the label will continue in some format. It’s now been revealed that the Parisian fashion house will invite different creatives and designers to design the Couture collection for each new season. The first guest designer to lead the new project will be Sacai’s Chitose Abe. Abe founded Sacai, a Japanese luxury fashion brand in 1999. Sacai is best known for breaking down the dichotomy between casual and formal clothing. 

Gaultier took to Instagram and said, “I have the pleasure to announce the new concept for my Haute Couture. Each season, I will invite a designer to interpret the codes of the House and I am doubly pleased that Chitose Abe of @sacaiofficial will be the first one!” He also stated, “I am pleased that this concept will become reality now with Chitose Abe of Sacai as the first guest designer. I admire her work, we have many things in common creatively and a similar vision of fashion. I am glad to give her complete freedom.” Abe went on to comment, “I have a long-held admiration for Jean Paul’s unique vision of subversive femininity and his originality, both of which I’ve strived towards in my work since the beginning. It’s a true honor to be given the opportunity to be custodian of his house as the first designer of this project.”

This new strategy of cross-collaboration may be an indication of what’s to come. It was only last month that Prada confirmed that Raf Simons will work alongside Miuccia Prada as co-director. 

The Sacai-designed Jean Paul Gaultier Couture collection will be unveiled this July. In the meantime revisit Jean Paul Gaultier’s finale Couture collection below.