Duran Lantink is the new creative director of Jean Paul Gaultier

New era, new statement. Jean Paul Gaultier, under the Puig umbrella, officially appoints Duran Lantink as creative director of the House. A decision that marks the symbolic closing of the collaborative chapter that began after Gaultier’s departure in 2020, and which saw the release of visions by names such as Glenn Martens, Haider Ackermann, Nicolas di Felice, and Simone Rocha.

Now, Gaultier looks to the future with a permanent creative director for the first time in five years—and does so alongside one of the most indomitable and experimental talents on the contemporary scene. Lantink, trained at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie and the Sandberg Institute in Amsterdam, has developed a unique language that blends tailoring, radical upcycling, and hybrid deconstruction. His circular and provocative approach finds a new home in one of the most transgressive houses in French fashion. His rise was lightning fast: in 2018, he designed the iconic “vagina” pants worn by Janelle Monáe at PYNK, and has since racked up key accolades such as the Andam Fashion Award, the Woolmark 2025, and LVMH’s coveted Karl Lagerfeld Prize 2024. In October 2023, his eponymous brand debuted on the official Paris ready-to-wear calendar, and his FW25 collection—featuring that viral latex top that dominated the internet—solidified his place in the global conversation.

Lantink’s selection not only represents a generational shift but an aesthetic statement. As Jean Paul Gaultier himself noted: “I see in him the energy, boldness, and playful spirit I had at the beginning of my own journey. The new enfant terrible of fashion. Welcome, Duran.”

For his part, Lantink doesn’t hide his admiration: “For me, Jean Paul Gaultier is the epitome of creative genius. A house that broke new ground so we could exist without asking permission. Taking on the creative direction is a true honor: JPG is savoir-faire, it’s provocation, it’s culture in motion.”

Anticipation is high. His first ready-to-wear collection for the house will be unveiled during Paris Fashion Week on September 25, while his haute couture debut will arrive in January 2026. A new narrative is being woven in the Rue Saint-Martin workshops—and it promises to break the mold, once again.

In the era of upcycling, Duran Lantink is king.