Jean Paul Gaultier Couture Spring 2014 Collection

The Jean Paul Gaultier couture spring 2014 collection revolved around a well defined leitmotif: butterflies - not the abstract notion or the characteristics we normally associate with them, but rather vivid and often dramatic literal representations. The French designer confessed that the motif recurred over and over while he was brainstorming for ideas for the new line: "I was thinking about colours and fabrics and what they could be and then I kept seeing the shape (of the butterfly) and saw that it could be a body - everything was like a dress." The idea was translated into reality in numerous forms, the most striking of which were indeed butterfly-shaped dresses which would definitely test the comfort zones of many fashionistas.

The spring 2014 Jean Paul Gaultier coutureline brought relatively tame looks at first, but gradually expanded to more and more dramatic options, which highlighted the designer's insatiable appetite for drama once more. While the Jean Paul Gaultier woman is a butterfly by day, as soon as the sun goes down, she transforms into a showgirl, according to the designer who expanded on the cabaret theme we saw in the Jean Paul Gaultier spring 2014 line. The designer even invited burlesque star Dita Von Teese to model one of this creations to really bring his vision to life.

Jean Paul Gaultier's couture spring 2014 collection brought many interesting elements into the spotlight: winged sleeves, a gorgeous coat created using 600 meters of silk tulle twisted into cords to mimic a catcher's mesh, conical bras, custom Swarovski crystal studs and many intricate embellishments that revealed only a small part of the painstaking work that went into creating the edgy ensembles.

Even so, the designer spared no effort accessories-wise. On the contrary, this was the area that truly highlighted the designer's fascination with both butterflies and cabaret. From butterfly themed headwear and hairdos to feathers, the accessories were designed to be just as spectacular as the pieces included in the new spring 2014 Jean Paul Gaultier couture collection, if not even more so.