Following rumors, Jean Paul Gaultier has officially named Dutch designer Duran Lantink as its new Creative director. The 38-year-old designer will be the first successor to the label’s namesake founder since Gaultier stepped down in 2020.
“I consider Jean Paul Gaultier a genius and part of a generation that kicked down doors, so people like us can walk through them freely and be who we are without apology,” Lantink said in an official statement. “Stepping into the role of Creative director is a true honour.”
Lantink, renowned for his innovative silhouettes and playful approach to design, will debut his ready-to-wear collection for Jean Paul Gaultier during Paris Fashion Week in September. His first haute couture show is scheduled for January 2026. The move comes after a decade-long hiatus from ready-to-wear, a decision made in 2014 to focus solely on couture. Previously, the brand brought back ready-to-wear with limited collections, collaborating with designers like Lotta Volkova and Shayne Oliver and releasing new pieces inspired by its archives. While the approach wasn’t perfectly planned, it helped the brand rebuild relationships with about 100 retailers while also selling directly online.
Gaultier himself was enthusiastic about the selection: “I see in him the energy, audacity, and playful spirit through fashion that I had at the beginning of my own journey: the new enfant terrible of fashion. Welcome, Duran.”
Known for his puffy, body-sculpting silhouettes and distorted prints, Lantink has quickly established himself as a breakout fashion star. His appointment represents a departure from recent industry trends that have favored established designers or behind-the-scenes veterans with decades of experience.
Antoine Gagey, managing director of Jean Paul Gaultier, explained the choice: “Duran isn’t referencing Gaultier exactly, but you can find his values there in the way he is rethinking volumes, rethinking the body.”
Since Gaultier’s retirement in 2020, the brand has used couture as a platform for rotating collaborations with designers such as Glenn Martens, Olivier Rousteing, Haider Ackermann, Nicolas di Felice, Julien Dossena, Simone Rocha or, most recently, Ludovic de Saint Sernin. While this approach garnered attention, Gagey acknowledged the need for a more consistent vision: “We’re at a stage where we need more consistency across categories and seasons.”
Lantink studied at the Gerritt Rietveld Academie and Sandberg Instituut in Amsterdam, before gaining industry recognition for projects such as designing viral “vagina” pants for Janelle Monae in 2018. His runway debut in 2021, staged for an audience of buzzing drones during a pandemic lockdown, was critically acclaimed for its innovative upcycling techniques. The Dutch designer did not appear on the official Paris Fashion Week calendar until March 2023, for the Fall/Winter 2023 season.
The designer has received several prestigious industry awards, including the Andam Special Prize in 2023, LVMH‘s Karl Lagerfeld Prize in 2024, and the Woolmark Prize in 2025.
“When I look at Monsieur Gaultier’s collections, it feels like he was always inspired by what was happening around him, culturally, socially and politically. I feel a strong connection to that approach and spirit,” said Lantink.
In order to focus on his new role at Gaultier, Lantink plans to temporarily suspend his namesake line. “Especially since I’m not only working on the ready-to-wear, but also the couture, it’s a big responsibility that I take very seriously. I have so much respect for Mr. Gaultier and his couture legacy, and I want to take the time to truly focus on the savoir-faire of the incredibly talented people in the atelier,” he explained. “Duran is something that won’t disappear. I’m still very eager to explore its possibilities – when the time feels right, and when I feel ready and confident that I can take on multiple things without compromising the quality.”
The Jean Paul Gaultier brand is now looking to expand sales through its online flagship and partnerships with influential retailers such as Dover Street Market and department stores such as Saks and Nordstrom. With Lantink at the helm, the house hopes to reassert its position as a cultural trendsetter while honoring Gaultier‘s legacy of provocative, boundary-pushing design.
