Sirens, Sailors, and Sexuality: On Le Naufrage

Ludovic de Saint Sernin for Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture, oh my!

And as they lay, scattered across the barren sands, they truly believed that their arrival here was a matter of fate — that their ship had left harbour
under the light of a cursed star. But if I am to document this as a matter of destiny,
it is a destiny that could touch any person with eyes that see, ears that hear,
and a pulse that beats — that delicious curse of temptation that Eve unlocked when she bit into the apple’s flesh.

Flashbacks crackle like crashes of heavenly thunder. First, arrows,
shot by a randy Cupid; blood pulsed from the heart to the loins. Memories of who they were and where they were going melted away, supplanted by burning lust.

An ingenue bride-to-be, on her way to her betrothed, lifted her veil to touch lips
with the ship’s captain, their hands off the helm; two bare-breasted pirates
made off with a tartan-clad Celtic princess, while John Swann, their gay matey,
set his sights on the strapping sailor manning the rig. Sirens shrieked in ecstasy to the songstress’ bawdy ballad; krakens and crocodiles licked, sucked and snapped at the boat’s brittle bow.

As the chorus of moans rose and fell alongside the mounting waves, a bolt of lightning cracked down the galleon’s mast, breaking the vessel apart
and flinging a mass of spent bodies to the sea’s boiling foam. Even then — bobbing on
the open water with mouths full of salt, noses full of smoke — they still
believed they were the unfortunate victims of a fate that couldn’t have been avoided; that there was nothing they could have done…

Above reads the story of fantastically imagined protagonists and a haunting tale, the catalyst behind Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2025 Haute Couture, designed by Ludovic de Saint Sernin (LdSS). Audiences saw sex, seduction, and sensuality intricately woven between the psyches of sirens and sailors on the day of January 29th, 2025.

Photo by Daniele Oberrauch, courtesy of Gorunway.com and Vogue Runway

Nicknamed L'Enfant Terrible of the fashion world, (a nickname shared by fellow designer Alexander McQueen), Jean Paul Gaultier continues to leave his mark on the world even after his 2020 retirement. During the semi-annual Haute Couture presentations, Gaultier chooses a designer to guest-design the brand’s collection. Since the inception of this tradition, names such as Chitose Abe of Sacai, Glenn Martens of Maison Margiela, Olivier Rousteing of Balmain, Haider Ackerman of Tom Ford, Julien Dossena of Rabanne, Simone Rocha of Simone Rocha, Nicolas Di Felice of Courrèges, and most recently, Ludovic de Saint Sernin of Ludovic de Saint Sernin have had the opportunity to guest-design.

LdSS had a unique task — as did his predecessors — to embody the spirit and codes of Jean Paul Gaultier’s designs while imprinting his own motifs and ideologies, all while appealing to the larger commercial customer base. Not an easy job, yet LdSS did it masterfully.

Photo by Daniele Oberrauch, courtesy of Gorunway.com and Vogue Runway

The collection, titled Le Naufrage (translating to The Shipwreck) saw grommets punched through fabric, binding corsets, hardened leather, delicate lace, feathers, sequins, and tulle. The model’s hair was wetted to their foreheads furthering the intoxicating oceanic scene. Viewers could practically feel the sirens pulling them into the water. LdSS’ designs conveyed the powers of the sea in the form of fashion. The oceanic scene was not chosen haphazardly, rather it reflected Jean Paul Gautlier’s history of maritime motifs and themes, as well as the strength of such a natural might. Destruction and rebirth are striking forces that, as we are witnessing, touch life beyond the water.

Photo by Daniele Oberrauch, courtesy of Gorunway.com and Vogue Runway

LdSS’ approach to fashion and Gaultier’s legacy are instruments of change, just as Le Naufrage is. An exploration of queerness, LdSSes genderless approach to fashion design blended seamlessly with Gaultier’s history of boundary-pushing. Sexuality and sensuality seeped through the garments, propelling the audience into a world of adventure through the vessel of the nautical world. Through the mysticism of the show, LdSS demonstrated that the vastness of human sexuality cannot and will not be contained by the likes of anti-LGBTQ laws and propositions. No, rather the beauty and resistance inherent to queer identities will prevail. LdSS and Gaultier masterfully and intentionally use the art of dress to do what every human should have the right to do, express their authentic self.

Ludovic de Saint Sernin taking a bow at the show. Photo by Daniele Oberrauch, courtesy of Gorunway.com and Vogue Runway

Hedonic and unapologetic, Ludovic de Saint Sernin’s collection for Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture silhouettes the true essence of the fashion industry. The vigor behind the humans and creatures who touch both land and sea is an attribute they can’t take away from us, and Ludovic de Saint Sernin further proved that with this enchanting collection. As the world sees a rise in bigotry and anti-LGBTQ policies, the robustness, artistry, and mysticism of this show are messages that we can all stand to hear.

Thank you for reading!

x Audrey