Jean Paul Gaultier’s NSFW Bodysuit Has the Internet Wondering If Paris Fashion Week Has Gone Too Far
One look showed “everything.” The rest wasn’t far behind.
Jean Paul Gaultier’s return to ready-to-wear didn’t tiptoe back onto the scene. The Spring/Summer 2026 “Junior” collection, the first under Dutch designer Duran Lantink, brought sculpted silhouettes, surreal prints, and a heavy dose of shock value.
It was the kind of show that had everyone talking.
The Look That Stopped the Scroll
Among the many futuristic pieces, Look 6 stood out. The bodysuit depicted a fully naked male body in lifelike detail, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. Under the bright runway lights, it was less illusion and more anatomy lesson.
The comments section on the designer’s Instagram exploded.
“Exactly the outfit I want my husband to pick my kids up at school wearing.”
“This looks like something you can find on Temu to prank someone.”
“This is Not Fashion, this is Bad Taste! What a shame.”
A few voices cheered the audacity, “magnifique,” one wrote. But most seemed unsure whether to laugh or look away. It became the single most discussed moment of the show, and likely the week.
Editor’s note: Due to the rather graphic nature of the outfit, I won’t be including the full photo of it. However, you can find it in the video below. But please be aware that the runway video below includes nudity. Viewers may want to avoid playing it at work!
Update as of 10/7: The video now has some, ah, bits blurred out. Still probably not work appropriate, though!
A Surreal Spin on Gaultier’s Legacy
The rest of the collection followed suit, blending humor with high fashion. Models wore bodysuits printed with body hair, tattoos, and cartoonish anatomy. Gowns curved around the torso in ways that defied logic. Cropped trench coats revealed the midriff. Jacket hems lifted like waves.
The vibe felt less runway and more dream sequence, a callback to Gaultier’s history of irreverence, filtered through Lantink’s chaotic imagination. “Junior,” once known for its youthful rebellion, returned louder and stranger than ever.
Accessories completed the fantasy. Sunglasses hovered off the face. Glossy fabrics caught every flash. Even the sailor references, a Gaultier classic, came back warped and twisted, playful and slightly off-kilter.
Fans Divided
Gaultier’s Instagram is filled with split reactions. Supporters praised the comeback, calling it “the best show of the season” and a bold continuation of the house’s DNA. Others called it “vulgar” or “ridiculous,” a sign fashion has gone too far.
Over on Facebook, Fashion Critical’s audience joined in with their signature wit, with one commenter writing, “I suspect trauma counsellors were waiting in the wings for the models.” And another added, “They could have saved a lot of $$$ on models, and just sent my hairy Greek husband down the runway.”
And in regards to look 6 FC summed it up perfectly, “If I get blocked for posting this, I plead for mercy. This person is fully clothed. My EYES. Nobody wants this.”
However, my favorite FC take was this one: “At the end, they tear the strip off her and she gets a free Brazilian.”
A Return Meant to Provoke
If the goal was to reignite attention around Gaultier’s ready-to-wear, mission accomplished. The brand that built its name on challenging taste didn’t just come back — it came back swinging.
Whether you saw art or pure chaos, the “Junior” line’s revival proved one thing: Gaultier still knows how to spark conversation.
Between this spectacle and Margiela’s wild mouthpiece moment earlier in the week, Paris Fashion Week has become a stage for pure theater. Even Pamela Anderson’s red-hair debut in Paris and Gwyneth Paltrow’s dramatic Milan turn were tame in comparison.
The debate over what’s fashion, what’s performance, and what’s simply too much may never end — but that’s exactly where Gaultier has always thrived.
