Jean-Paul Gaultier exits ready-to-wear to focus on perfume and haute couture

Final ready-to-wear collection from French designer to be launched later this month

Conchita Wurst with French designer Jean Paul Gaultier (EPA)

Jean-Paul Gaultier, the French designer famous for his bra corsets, is quitting his ready-to-wear business to focus on his more expensive and exclusive haute couture collection and perfume.

Gaultier, known as l’enfant terrible of fashion for his unorthodox approach and his use of unconventional models in fashion shows, founded his French fashion label in the 1970s. It is now controlled by Spanish perfume maker Puig which also makes fragrances for brands including Prada and owns labels Carolina Herrera and Nina Ricci.

Gaultier, who spent seven years designing womenswear at Hermès until 2010, will now concentrate on haute couture, perfume and collaborations with other designers.

The firm said its final ready-to-wear collection for spring and summer next year would be launched later this month.

It is thought sales at his ready-to-wear label had struggled recently as the brand failed to compete with larger rivals with bigger budgets. Gaultier blamed “commercial constraints” and the hectic schedule of producing so many collections as a reason to scale back.

He started his career more than 40 years ago first working for designer Pierre Cardin. He is well known for designing Madonna’s 1990s bustiers, his love of wearing skirts and kilts and his appearances on Eurotrash with Antoine de Caunes in the 1990s.

Last month his career was the subject of an exhibition at the Barbican in London called the “Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk”.