Jean Paul Gaultier, J.M. Weston Join France’s Comité Colbert

Fashion house Jean Paul Gaultier and shoemaker J.M. Weston are the two latest members of French luxury association Comité Colbert.

Although the house’s founder retired from the runway in 2020, Gaultier has kept its haute couture division active with one-off collections conceived by guest designers.

Following Chitose Abe of Sacai; Glenn Martens of Y/Project and Diesel, and Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing, it will be Haider Ackermann’s turn to present his creations for the brand on Jan. 25.

“We are very happy to join the Comité Colbert and its prestigious members, and proud to be able to contribute to the influence of French know-how, in particular through a new and collaborative approach to haute couture,” said Vincent Thilloy, chief brand officer for Jean Paul Gaultier.

“The values ​​of inclusivity and diversity specific to our house will be at the heart of our contributions,” he added.

J.M. Weston, meanwhile, raised its visibility with the appointment in 2018 of fashion historian Olivier Saillard as artistic, image and culture director. Saillard has directed a number of performances for the shoe brand, most recently a dance class led by leading choreographers Mathilde Monnier, La Ribot and Asha Thomas.

The latest additions raise the number of luxury houses that are members of Comité Colbert to 93. The organization includes 17 cultural institutions and six European members.

“Comité Colbert welcomes the arrival of these two new members, whose history, excellence of craftsmanship and international influence promise mutual enrichment at a time when the resilience of our industry is a source of pride for France,” said Bénédicte Epinay, chief executive officer of Comité Colbert.

The organization’s objective is to promote luxury, preserve the ancestral know-how of its houses, to work on legislative and regulatory issues and to anticipate future challenges in the sector.

As luxury firms struggle to recruit young artisans despite the boom in their sales, Comité Colbert hosted a three-day educational fair last month aimed at promoting careers in craftsmanship to students.