Pinkarnavale Parade Honoring Jean Paul Gaultier

Yesterday evening, Montreal Fashion Moms headed downtown with our sons to check out the Pinkarnavale Parade. The Ready to Wear Carnival parade kicked off the street arts part of the famed Just for Laughs Festival and was inspired by the legendary French couturier Jean Paul Gaultier.

Sporting our stripes in honor of Gaultier

The fashion-forward parade that ran down St-Catherine Street to Place des Arts, had 8 groups of dancers, from 8 different boroughs of Montreal, that creatively showed 8 themes from Gaultier’s famed designs. DJ and model muse, Eve Salvail even spun some tracks for the final tableaux.

 

Themes ranged from Gaultier’s signature stripes to the iconic cone bra. Each group was full of colorful costumes, exaggerated hair and elaborate makeup. The dancers were also accompanied by huge inflatable marionettes, bright floats and lots of confetti.

Gaultier even returned to Montreal to participate in this over-the-top fashion parade. “The fact that Gaultier will be here again shows his commitment to Montreal,” said one of the designer’s model muses, Quebecer, Franciso Randez. “From his first collection in the late ’70s, Montreal has shown its support for Gaultier from the beginning. He’s not just a designer but an artist who is open to the crowd and close to the people. We want people to come out and party, and feel just how awesome it is to be in Montreal in the summer. Our goal is to make it warm, happy and fun.”

Photo: Lolitta Dandoy

Gaultier also agreed to dress the event mascot, Rose, the fiancée of the Just for Laughs green bonhomme. In true Gaultier and Just for Laughs style, Rose sported a cone bra..on her head!

Since his exhibition, The Fashion World of Jean-Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk opened at the MMFA, Gaultier has certainly taken over the city!

The fabulous parade produced by Danielle R O Y in collaboration with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts created a new definition of Pop Art with this event, using the POPulation and the ARTists of Montreal. All kinds of Montrealers, young and old, participated and came out to see this elaborate parade dressed in stripes, as the invite suggested, honoring the designer.

We had a great time at the parade and so did the boys! They really enjoyed all the action and bright lights. It was a beautiful night full of fun, friends, family and fashion!

Thanks again to our photographer Hugo Trottier for always showing up at fashion events and sharing his photos with Montreal Fashion Moms.