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Francis Menuge & Jean Paul Gaultier
Apr. 24th, 2015 03:34 pm
Born on April 24, 1952 in Arcueil, France, Gaultier was an only child who spent his youth struggling to escape the influence of his parents, who were both accountants and who hoped that their son would become a Spanish teacher. The future designer was greatly influenced by his grandmother, Marie Garrabe, a hypnotist and practitioner of alternative healing who encouraged him to pursue the unmanly pastimes of sketching and costume making.Gaultier first realized the impact of his sketches when he was punished by his school teacher for drawing Folies Bergère showgirls. He was made to walk around school with the drawing pinned to his back. The punishment, however, only made the young Gaultier aware of his potential for showmanship.
At the end of the 1980s, Gaultier suffered some personal losses, including his lover and business partner for fifteen years Francis Menuge, who died of AIDS-related causes. Since then, there has been no mention of a significant other. (Picture: Jean Paul Gaultier holding a portrait of Francis Menuge)The designer lives in Paris, where his business is headquartered, but also spends time in Italy, where his clothes are manufactured.
Gaultier never received formal training as a designer. Instead, he started sending sketches to famous couture stylists at an early age. Pierre Cardin was impressed by his talent and hired him as an assistant in 1970. Afterwards, he worked with Jacques Esterel in 1971 and Jean Patou later that year, then returning to manage the Pierre Cardin boutique in Manila from 1974-'75.
Francis Menuge, Jean-Jacques Picart and Jean Paul Gaultier
At the end of the 1980s, Gaultier suffered some personal losses, including his lover and business partner for fifteen years Francis Menuge, who died of AIDS-related causes. "I have been in love with the same person for 15 years," Gaultier said of his longtime companion. "It's my first love which continues. That person is a part of me." Since then, there has been no mention of a significant other. The designer lives in Paris, where his business is headquartered, but also spends time in Italy, where his clothes are manufactured.
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Source: http://www.circa-club.com/gallery/gay_history_icons_jean_paul_gaultier.php
Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time by Elisa RollePaperback: 760 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (July 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1500563323
ISBN-13: 978-1500563325
Amazon: Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time
Days of Love chronicles more than 700 LGBT couples throughout history, spanning 2000 years from Alexander the Great to the most recent winner of a Lambda Literary Award. Many of the contemporary couples share their stories on how they met and fell in love, as well as photos from when they married or of their families. Included are professional portraits by Robert Giard and Stathis Orphanos, paintings by John Singer Sargent and Giovanni Boldini, and photographs by Frances Benjamin Johnson, Arnold Genthe, and Carl Van Vechten among others. “It's wonderful. Laying it out chronologically is inspired, offering a solid GLBT history. I kept learning things. I love the decision to include couples broken by death. It makes clear how important love is, as well as showing what people have been through. The layout and photos look terrific.” Christopher Bram “I couldn’t resist clicking through every page. I never realized the scope of the book would cover centuries! I know that it will be hugely validating to young, newly-emerging LGBT kids and be reassured that they really can have a secure, respected place in the world as their futures unfold.” Howard Cruse “This international history-and-photo book, featuring 100s of detailed bios of some of the most forward-moving gay persons in history, is sure to be one of those bestsellers that gay folk will enjoy for years to come as reference and research that is filled with facts and fun.” Jack Fritscher
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