Since taking his final bow at the helm of his eponymous Maison, Jean Paul Gaultier has welcomed a different designer to bring their own vision to the label each season. Merging the codes of JPG with their own, past guest creative directors have included Julien Dossena, Haider Ackermann, Olivier Rousteing, Glenn Martens and Chitose Abe. For the 2024 Haute Couture season, London-based Irish designer Simone Rocha took on the privilege. And it’s safe to say she understood the assignment.

In classic Simone Rocha fashion, her collection for Jean Paul Gaultier was a treat for our eyes and our hearts. Infused with her effortlessly ethereal touch and adorned with symbols of girlhood (Simone’s use of bows predated the coquette trend and will live beyond its reign), the lineup of looks captured the balance of delicacy and power that she’s known for. Drawing inspiration from Gaultier’s archive, which includes their signature marinière stripes, conical bras, and satin corsets, she reinterpreted the classic motifs and stylistic details through her own lens — perfectly balancing the two brands’ identities in a manner that creates something entirely fresh.

Presented on a rococo backdrop of the House of Gaultier in Paris, a sense of classic romantics seeps into the collection — which spits it back out into the air with a modern twist. In shades of blush, red, and black, bold, massive tulle gowns moved down the runway alongside corseted mini dresses and sheer slips. Sensual, feminine, and strong, the collection embodies the spirit of both the JPG girl and the Simone Rocha muse.