The Fascinating History of Jean Paul Gaultier Fragrances
Jean Paul Gaultier is an unconventional, iconic French fashion designer who also makes some of the best perfumes in the world.
This isn’t uncommon as many fashion brands (like Chanel, Gucci, etc.) also make perfumes. But they are nowhere near as bold in design or scent as Jean Paul Gaultier perfumes.
Want to learn more about the history of Jean Paul Gaultier and his incredible fragrances? Read on to uncover how brilliant and fascinating this man is.
Early Life and Career of Jean Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier was born on the outskirts of Paris into a loving and supporting middle-class family in 1952. His parents worked regular office jobs and had no interest in fashion. So, it was Gaultier’s grandmother who introduced him to the fashion world.
He was a risk-taker from an early age and had confidence in his design abilities despite no formal training. At only 18-years-old, he sent his portfolio of fashion sketches to 27 different houses and caught the eye of designer Pierre Cardin who hired him.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Jean Paul Gaultier worked with many great designers. He also founded his own label in the 1980s and developed a reputation for being controversial. For example, Madonna loved his cone-shaped corsets, and he developed a line of skirts for men.
Pivoting to Fragrances in the 1990s
After the death of his partner in the AIDS epidemic in 1990, he expanded his repertoire to include Jean Paul Gaultier fragrances.
He released his first perfume – Jean Paul Gaultier EDP for women, later changed to Classique – 1993. The corset-shaped bottle grabbed everyone’s attention, as did the scent notes.
The top notes consist of citrusy orange blossom and mandarin orange. The middle notes include spicy ginger, and some of the main base notes are sandalwood and cinnamon.
Jean Paul Gaultier Cologne and Perfume Collections
After the huge success of Classique, Gautier released several other “flanker” versions of this perfume. A flanker is a new perfume that is a modified or updated version of an existing perfume in the world of fragrances.
There are no fewer than 53 other versions of the original Classique fragrance in masculine and feminine scents. Jean Paul Gaultier releases at least one or two versions every year and shows no signs of stopping.
His other main feminine fragrance lines are Fragile (2000), Ma Dame (2008), and Scandal (2017), which also have flanker perfumes. His Jean Paul Gaultier cologne collections for men are Le Male (1995), Monsieur (2008), and Kokorico (2011).
The best Jean Paul Gaultier scents, according to their popularity, are Le Classique and Scandal by Night. Le Classique has unusual top notes of rum and rose. On the other hand, Scandal by Night is sweeter but still unusual with honey and vanilla top notes, which are often base notes.
From Fashion Icon to Fragrance King
His success with fashion and fragrance proves that Jean Paul Gaultier is a great influence on aspiring designers. Gaultier proves that hard work, originality, and talent are far better than qualifications.
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