Jean Paul Gaultier
Puig · France
Jean Paul Gaultier is a Paris fashion and fragrance house founded by French designer Jean Paul Gaultier, known for its subversive couture, Breton stripes and the Le Male fragrance. It is owned by Spanish group Puig. Dutch designer Duran Lantink has been creative director since April 2025.
| Label founded | 1982 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Jean Paul Gaultier |
| Owner | Puig |
| Creative director | Duran Lantink (since 2025) |
| Signature fragrance | Le Male (1995) |
| Headquarters | Paris, France |
| Website | jeanpaulgaultier.com |
What is Jean Paul Gaultier?
Jean Paul Gaultier is a French house that combines fashion and fragrance. Its codes include the Breton sailor stripe, corsetry and a playful approach to gender. It belongs to Puig, the Barcelona-based beauty and fashion group that also owns Rabanne, Carolina Herrera and Dries Van Noten.
History
Jean Paul Gaultier established his label in 1982 and became known as the enfant terrible of French fashion. Hermès acquired 35% of the company in 1999 and later raised its stake to 45%, and Gaultier served as creative director of Hermès womenswear from 2003 to 2010. Puig took over the fragrance licence on 1 January 2016 and later acquired control of both the fashion and fragrance businesses.
In 2014 Gaultier announced he would close his ready-to-wear lines to focus on haute couture. He retired from the runway after his 50th anniversary show in January 2020. The house then invited a different guest designer for each couture season, starting with Chitose Abe of Sacai. In April 2025 it appointed Duran Lantink as creative director, ending the guest model; his first ready-to-wear collection was shown in Paris in October 2025.
Products and positioning
The house is positioned in the luxury segment, with fragrance as its largest commercial pillar:
- Le Male (1995), described by Puig as one of the world's top three best-selling masculine fragrances
- Classique (1993) and Scandal (2017)
- Haute couture under the Gaultier Paris label
- Ready-to-wear, relaunched under the new creative director
Business model and distribution
Fashion is sold through the brand's own website, its Paris presence and selected retailers, while fragrances reach a much wider network of perfumeries and department stores worldwide through Puig.
Why it matters
Jean Paul Gaultier illustrates the fragrance-led model of fashion ownership that Puig has built, in which a designer house provides creative credibility for a large beauty business. Its experiments with guest designers and a return to ready-to-wear are closely watched by the industry.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Jean Paul Gaultier?
Jean Paul Gaultier is owned by Spanish beauty and fashion group Puig, which controls both the fashion and fragrance businesses. Hermès was previously a minority shareholder, holding up to 45%.
Who is the creative director of Jean Paul Gaultier?
Dutch designer Duran Lantink was appointed creative director in April 2025. His appointment ended the rotating guest designer model the house had used since its founder retired from the runway in 2020.