Jean-Paul Gaultier elevated already rich hippie look

PARIS - As the world's wealthiest women prepared to fly out of Paris on the final day of haute couture week, Jean-Paul Gaultier staged a lavish show that elevated the rich hippie look to, well, the extremely-rich hippie look.

His was a far more refined interpretation of the ethnic trends that have dominated street fashion for several seasons. After all, his haute couture clients are able to pay tens of thousands of pounds for an outfit tailored to fit their every curve.

In a collection dedicated to the exuberance of traditional Eastern European dress, Gaultier's models strode out onto the catwalk in conker-brown velvet pantaloons tucked into fur-edged suede boots, billowing gypsy blouses and short gilets.

This being haute couture however, where every garment is painstakingly hand-sewn and decorative effects are second-to-none, the blouses were smothered with sparkling bugle beads and re-embroidered with flowers.

The gilet - an haute hippie staple - meanwhile came in rich-bitch sable fur.

And while tiered peasant skirts are a familiar sight on every street this summer, Gaultier re-invented the romantic/ethnic garment for a series of extravagant evening gowns, where artfully mismatched tiers of golden lace, eau de nil tulle and fluffy maribou trims loaned a regal air.

For this autumn/winter collection, Gaultier, 53, also reinterpreted his own signature pieces, which are the bourgeois classics that his privileged clientele have come to know and love: the tuxedo, which was for autumn cut from mallard-green panne velvet, and the trenchcoat, this time in midnight blue silk and trimmed with more fur.

The bleach-blond designer and former 'enfant terrible' of French fashion is often cited as the saviour of the dying craft of couture. His show, held at the former theatre that also serves as Gaultier HQ, was the last of just seven major couture houses to stage presentations last week.

The event, which is unique to Paris, has dwindled to three days and commentators have predicted its demise for several years, particularly since the retirement of Yves Saint Laurent in 2002.

However, despite there only being approximately 2000 couture clients in the world willing and able to spend upwards of £15,000 on a simple day suit (price tags on evening gowns can run into six figures), the organisers of couture week can find some hope in this season's event.

Newcomers to the hallowed craft included Giorgio Armani, who staged his second-ever couture show on Wednesday, and 30 year old Riccardo Tisci, the Italian designer charged with carrying Givenchy forward, who held a presentation at the company's salon on Thursday night.

Moreover, as a publicity machine that raises the profile of French fashion in general, haute couture is running at full throttle.

Front rows seating the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Tina Turner, Drew Barrymore, Christina Aguilera, Charlize Theron and Usher suggest that, as an extremely glamorous photo-opportunity at the very least, couture can for the moment survive.

- INDEPENDENT