Jean-Paul Gaultier, the dare devil designer who put men in skirts and women in cone bras, this time teamed with unusually fatty, Beth Ditto, who took to the runway like a fish to water last night for designer’s spring/summer 2011 ready to wear show as part of Fashion Week in Paris.
Beth proved to be a natural as she strutted and shook her hips down the catwalk for Jean Paul Gaultier The American songstress from Arkansas who fronts the band the Gossip, even belted out a few verses from “River Deep, Mountain High” for the show’s finale, all to wild applause.
The Gossip front woman kicked off the show with a thunderous a cappella performance and also ended it, strutting down the catwalk in a specially made tight floral creation. Beth, who took to the catwalk effortlessly, donned a textured pink floral corset with sheer accents with fishnet stockings and black platform high heeled mary janes. Another ensemble was a jacket that appeared to be made of wide cream colored ribbons.
While at first glance she might make an unusual model, Beth recently said, “If anyone understands what it’s like to be a woman who’s subjected to body politics, it’s a f****** model.” At the end of the show Jean-Paul Gaultier congratulated Beth. Although Ditto reportedly received thunderous applause, not everyone was impressed.
The Arkansas-born singer has been a cause célèbre in the fashion world for daring to be fashionable despite her size. She has posed nude for Love and NME magazines. What was great about Ditto’s runway moment though, is that she is not a size 10 or 12. She’s not even a model. Ditto is closer to the size 14 and above reality of so many American women. And it was particularly appropriate to see her teamed with Gaultier, the daredevil designer