Jean Paul Gaultier ‘Jesus & Mary’ Tattoo Top SS2007

Jean Paul Gaultier ‘Jesus & Mary’ Tattoo Top SS2007

Jean Paul Gaultier has long occupied a space where the sacred and the subversive collide. His Spring/Summer 2007 Haute Couture collection was no exception—a grand, gilded exploration of Catholic iconography reframed through the lens of avant-garde fashion. Within this spectacle, the ‘Jesus & Mary’ tattoo sleeveless top emerged as a striking articulation of Gaultier’s vision: religion not as restraint, but as ornamentation, storytelling, and divine theater.

Drawing inspiration from Renaissance-era religious paintings and cathedral stained glass, the collection turned models into celestial figures—each crowned with elaborate halos, draped in lace, and adorned in intricate embroidery reminiscent of illuminated manuscripts. The tattoo-printed mesh of this piece feels like a second skin, embodying Gaultier’s fascination with illusion, transformation, and the body as canvas.

From the Haute Couture Collection: An Intersection of Catholicism and Couture

Beyond its aesthetic weight, the ‘Jesus & Mary’ top is a testament to Gaultier’s ability to navigate the delicate interplay between reverence and irreverence. The imagery, evocative of sacred devotion, is simultaneously rebellious—blurring the line between haute couture and countercultural iconography.

Seventeen years later, this piece remains a sought-after relic of fashion history, a reminder of when couture dared to provoke, and beauty existed between the ethereal and the untamed.

“My eccentricity became direction.” -Jean Paul Gaultier

PAKASHI’s Archive is a study in the garments that shaped cultural and fashion discourse.

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