Back in 1997 two of France’s finest creators Luc Besson and Jean Paul Gaultier, came together to collaborate on the Sci Fi blockbuster The Fifth Element. The strange, wacky and modern world of the talented Jean Paul Gaultier was just the right person for Besson’s futuristic vision to come to life. Gaultier really understood how the futuristic can be whatever it wants to be, it can be anything from retrospective to historic. With his costume designs he really embraced the concept of futurism. I thought I would round up the most iconic looks of the film.
We first meet Milla Jovovich’s character Leeloo naked until her first costume of some strategically placed restraints that form into a bodysuit/dress are wrapped around her like bandages. The piece takes direct inspiration from Gaultier’s underwear-as-outerwear collections, the near-nudity intended to show her vulnerability and naivety of her state, which I think really works well. The skimpy, iconic get up and Leeloo's orange hair had a massive impact on not only the film, but thousands of cosplayers for years to come and became one of the most worn Halloween costumes for the brave souls who dared to go nearly bare.
Gaultier was really able to dig deep into his roots of exuberant prints, structures and concepts when creating designs for Chris Tucker’s flamboyant, larger than life character Ruby Rhod. The most memorable look however is defiantly Ruby Rhod’s head to toe leopard print look, I mean anything wore by Ruby is memorable in its own right, but this costume really sets the tone for his character. Gaultier really paid extreme attention and put his own touch on very character and this is strongly portrayed here down to the cane and the extravagant bleached super-quiff.
Gaultier even made the extras look like supermodels. The air hostesses of the future are neoprene-clad glamazons with eyebrows tinted to match their uniform, the sexy and suggestive cut out crops defiantly fulfil any mans mile high dream. The ‘sexy working girl’ extra is also seen in the brief McDonald’s drive-thru, they’re flirty, sweet, and just like the airport attendees, exist only to serve. And they’re certainly a far cry from the plain duds McDonald’s workers don today. Like Leeloo’s costumes, the high fashion McDonald’s uniforms made an lasting impression, especially with the like of Moschino and their A/W 2014 collection.
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