Duran Lantink Takes On Jean Paul Gaultier | PLUS Loewe, Givenchy and ALAÏA

Summary

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The Run-Through with Vogue – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Duran Lantink Takes On Jean Paul Gaultier | PLUS Loewe, Givenchy and ALAÏA
Date: October 4, 2025
Hosts: Chloe Malle (Vogue U.S.), Nicole Phelps (Vogue Runway), Cho Minardi (British Vogue)
Special Guests: Sally Singer, Duran Lantink

Episode Overview

This lively Paris Fashion Week episode goes inside three of the most buzzed-about shows — Loewe, Givenchy, and Alaïa — with insights from Vogue’s editors. The second half is a must-listen in-depth interview with Duran Lantink, the avant-garde designer making his debut as creative director at Jean Paul Gaultier. Listeners are treated to front-row anecdotes, critical takes on this season’s highlights, and reflections on fashion’s power to push boundaries.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Loewe: Jack & Lazaro’s Debut Show

• Setting & Atmosphere: Energetic post-show crowd, palpable excitement.
• Signature Elements: Emphasis on leather, Spanish influences, craft, and authentic representation of Jack and Lazaro.
  • “They talked about the three pillars of Loewe… It has to look Spanish, it has to have a lot of craft and it also has to look like Jack and Lazaro.” – Nicole Phelps [02:12]
• Materials & Innovation: 3D-printed "towel" dresses that are not terry cloth, bold uses of color (yellows, oranges, electric blues).
• Accessories: Praise for slouchy, boxy bags in croc effect and suede, as well as various playful clutches.
• Atmosphere: The crowd’s exuberance led to a standing ovation, even disrupting photographers’ views.
• Soundtrack: Pachanga Boys provided a memorable vibe (“…it’s the second time I’ve shazammed the Pachanga Boys this season.” – Nicole Phelps [04:07])

2. Givenchy: Sarah Burton’s Sophomore Collection

• Vision: Burton is commended for balancing the house’s history with her personal vision; described as "ladylike but not restrained."
  • “She is not intimidated by the weight of the history… she takes from it what works, but also it’s so her own eye and sensibility.” – Chloe Malle [06:19]
• Tailoring: Noted for Savile Row–inspired precision, effortless suits, and clear feminine sensibility.
• Celebrity Guests & Community: British Vogue’s Ray, Gwendoline Christie, Jenna Ortega, and Rooney Mara in attendance — symbolizing the diverse Givenchy woman.
  • “Sarah builds a community of women.” – Cho Minardi [07:22]
• Iconic Looks: Rooney Mara’s micro mini white lace dress with a biker jacket and flat ballerinas was highlighted as a quintessential Givenchy moment.

3. Alaïa: Mirror-Box Show & Unexpected Textures

• Venue: Held in a mirrored box at the former Foundation Cartier—mirrors on every surface, dramatic lighting.
  • “So you have mirrors on the ceiling, mirrors on the floor, so there’s light coming from every direction.” – Cho Minardi [08:41]
• Design Focus: Rich fringe, giant tassels, interior-inspired details, playful movement, unconventional use of color for Alaïa.
• Trend Watch: Stirrup leggings and a new take on the onesie delighted the editors.

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Interview: Duran Lantink at Jean Paul Gaultier [12:16–38:56]

A. First Impressions & Creative Process

• On Joining Gaultier:
  • “At this point I think I’m quite confident about what we have put together and what we have accomplished because it’s also a start and it’s a new beginning… I think for what we’re doing is the right direction or the right starting point of where I would like to go.” – Duran Lantink [12:46]
• Early Work During Covid: Created innovative drone-filmed fashion shows in an abandoned Dutch castle, repurposing deadstock during industry lockdowns.
  • “I started this idea of…a whole front row with drone bots that are pretending to be celebrities and journalists…” [13:33]
  • “I was thinking, okay, how can I kind of transform that and put it back into the store?” [14:41]

B. Design Evolution

• Upcycling Roots: Known for blending deadstock and branded pieces in original ways.
• Shift to Volume/Shape:
  • “Somehow I started seeing [upcycling] a bit more and I was like, okay, I kind of need to reinvent myself... So I started thinking about, what if we don’t mash it up but what if we change the form of the closing piece?” – Duran Lantink [15:56]
• Influence on Others: Humble about trendsetting, welcomes designers taking inspiration (“If other designers do something which is similar…they do it in their own ways and I think that’s fine.” [33:28])

C. Philosophy & Vision for Gaultier

• Not Literal, but Energetic:
  • “I’m really trying to catch the energy of it… For me, for instance, Jean Paul Gaultier Jr. is such a relevant label, and it was very much about youth. About now. About…urgency.” [18:22]
• Decision to Delay Archive Access:
  • “I’ve decided for now to approach it a bit like the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. So basically, I’m not entering the archive. I’m keeping it closed for now… I want this to be a fresh start.” [21:58]
• On Being ‘Radical’:
  • “If we’re not being radical, then what are we doing?…I just don’t want to be part of a conservative society.” [24:08]
• Relationship with Jean Paul Gaultier:
  • “We don’t necessarily talk about fashion. We more talk about film or music or just fun things…. He’s just a very kind person and I like that.” [26:09]

D. Personal Reflections

• Handling Pressure and Career Milestones: Admits to being nervous but keeps perspective by focusing on day-to-day work, not the broader spectacle.
• Last Season’s Viral Latex Torsos: Playing with body forms wasn’t about controversy but about playful transformation. Surprised by the Internet’s reaction.
• On Pausing His Own Brand: Prioritizing the new Gaultier role—“I want to make sure that I create something with Jean Paul Gaultier that is good and that there’s full focus on.” [34:38]

E. Advice for Aspiring Designers [35:16]

• Follow Your Instinct:
  • “I think it’s very important that you follow your own vision and try to find help with people supporting your vision rather than being insecure about it.” [35:38]
• On Non-Traditional Creativity: He’s always struggled with rules but insists that unusual processes can lead to real innovation.
  • “Everybody always has an opinion and thinks that they know better what you are than yourself…Just go for whatever you think is right.” [37:13]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It was leather 365 days a year, for every situation.” – Chloe Malle on Loewe [02:26]
• “This show was so optimistic, not just in the feeling of the audience, but in the colors, the clothes, the ruffle, the shapes…” – Sally Singer on Loewe [04:40]
• “Sarah [Burton] builds a community of women.” – Cho Minardi on Givenchy [07:22]
• “First of all, I’m not the one that invented shapes on bodies. I mean, it was there way before me… I just don’t allow myself to be a bitter person.” – Duran Lantink [33:28]
• “If we’re not being radical, then what are we doing?” – Duran Lantink [24:08]
• “I want this to be kind of…a fresh start. So I’m a little bit scared if I go into the archive I get too inspired and it becomes too much like a kind of literal copy…and now that I don’t have access to it…I’m more free to kind of twist it.” – Duran Lantink [22:44]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Loewe Show Recap: [00:29–05:16]
• Givenchy Show Recap: [06:19–08:19]
• Alaïa Show Recap: [08:29–10:06]
• Duran Lantink Interview Begins: [12:16]
• Lantink’s Creative Approach & Early Work: [13:17–15:56]
• Vision for Gaultier: [18:02–24:08]
• Being ‘Radical’ & Society: [24:08–25:54]
• Relationship with Jean Paul Gaultier: [26:09–27:06]
• Viral Latex Torso Collection & Trend Influence: [30:17–34:27]
• On Pausing His Brand: [34:27–35:16]
• Advice for Young Designers: [35:16–38:24]
• Reflections & Interview Close: [38:24–38:57]

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Conclusion

This Paris Fashion Week episode offers a whirlwind of runway recaps and creative commentary, highlighted by Duran Lantink’s candid insights into the pressures, philosophies, and playful spirit behind his eagerly awaited debut at Jean Paul Gaultier. Listeners come away with a vivid sense of this season’s mood — and the enduring importance of fashion’s rule-breakers and visionaries.

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Transcript

[Chloe Mel]

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[Cho Minardi]

This is the Loewe Fashion Show.

[Nicole Phelps]

Were standing outside of. What's one personal style tip for dressing for Fashion Week?

[Cho Minardi]

Comfortable shoes.

[Nicole Phelps]

I need to find Chloe and Nicole.

[Duran Lantink]

Excuse me, where's the entrance dare?

[Nicole Phelps]

Right. Oh, dear.

[Cho Minardi]

No, no, no, we don't need it.

[Sally Singer]

What's your name?

[Nicole Phelps]

My name is Brian. Okay, but you're not just Brian.

[Duran Lantink]

My name's Brian. Boy.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Stephanie Kariuchi]

I'm very, very excited for Jack and Lazarus show.

[Duran Lantink]

Americans in Paris. Can't wait.

[Nicole Phelps]

All right, the show just ended. Everyone's walking out. I see the girls. This is the run through. I'm Nicole Phelps.

[Chloe Mel]

And I'm Chloe Mel. And this is day three of our Paris Fashion Week Shark Week.

[Nicole Phelps]

We're here outside the Loewe show. Later we're headed to Givenchy for Sarah Burton's sophomore collection. And I'm very excited to say we have an interview with Duran Lantink, the new designer at Jean Paul Gaultier later in the show.

[Chloe Mel]

But we are joined by Sally Singer.

[Sally Singer]

Hi, Sally.

[Chloe Mel]

Hi, Sally.

[Cho Minardi]

Hello.

[Duran Lantink]

Hi.

[Chloe Mel]

Sally has known Jack and Lazaro for how long?

[Sally Singer]

I've known Jack and Lazaro since they applied for the Echo Domane Prize, which is probably 25 years ago for their first show in New York.

[Chloe Mel]

Do you remember their first show?

[Sally Singer]

I do remember their first show and I remember everything they've ever done. Yes, I do. And what I loved about the show today is there's a through line in their work that I saw in this show. That mix of sport, that funny ruffle, the proportions of those shorter jackets that were a bit blouse like. What I really loved is that you saw them in these clothes as well as a whole lot of leather, which I guess is the house of Loewe.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yes, they talked about the three pillars of Loewe at our preview yesterday. It has to look Spanish, it has to have a lot of craft and it also has to look like Jack and Lazaro, as you say, Sally. It was really them as well as being Loewe.

[Chloe Mel]

This felt like leather 365 days a year for like weather, for every, every situation.

[Nicole Phelps]

They were doing a lot of experiments with materials too. Like those towel dresses were actually 3D printed. Oh, wow. So they're not towels at all.

[Chloe Mel]

They're like, it's not Terry.

[Nicole Phelps]

No, not Terry.

[Sally Singer]

I will say I was absolutely delighted to see the use of pale yellows, beautiful oranges, actual sunny, summery colors in a spring summer collection. We've seen a lot of heavy, dark. What season is it? Clothes out there? And this was definitely a collection to wear at a resort, possibly when those leather dresses become something else for, you know, for the stores at a resort.

[Chloe Mel]

But also if it starts to monsoon while you're at the resort. I mean, this was really clothes for all weather, which I thought was very 2025. I thought the bags were great shape. I loved that boxy, slouchy bag that opened the show and had. They showed it in sort of croc effect and in electric blue and then in the suedes I thought were beautiful. I thought that was a great bag.

[Nicole Phelps]

Big enough for your laptop, too.

[Chloe Mel]

Yes, true.

[Sally Singer]

And there were some adorable clutches as well, in all different types of configurations and colors. Again, like where to put the pop of color in an otherwise kind of sporty outfit. I thought it was really clever.

[Nicole Phelps]

And they got a really big round of applause, Right. A standing ovation, I think you could trace.

[Chloe Mel]

Ellis Ross, I saw, was the first to pop up. Clapping. She was very excited. And the photographer, Pitt, was snarling at us because people were so excited that they were blocking the view of the boys bow because everyone was in the middle of the Runway. I also thought the music was great. I thought just pechanga boys.

[Nicole Phelps]

I looked it up on Shazam. And it's funny because it's the second time I've shazammed the Pachanga Boys this season.

[Chloe Mel]

The soundtrack of Nicole's.

[Nicole Phelps]

I mean, there was so much anticipation around this. Would you say this was a successful debut? I would say that I think that the Europeans are not necessarily always the most welcoming to American arivistes, you know, with the exception of Marc Jacobs, maybe back at Louis Vuitton in the.

[Sally Singer]

He got panned that first season, but.

[Nicole Phelps]

They learned to love him.

[Sally Singer]

He came to Louis Vuitton for a season out, took the logo off, made everything white, and everyone killed him. It was a complete. It was the most brilliant collection ever. I mean, the ultimate stealth wealth collection. But it was way too stealth for the French. So there's always a habit of, you know, panning first and then rethinking later. But I think this show was so optimistic, not just in the feeling of the audience, but in the colors, the clothes, the ruffle, the shapes, the mini ness of the dresses. You Know, like all those I think people are going to be happy with, even if they say it's a lot of sportswear, we thought, but that's cool. Why not?

[Nicole Phelps]

It felt modern and fresh.

[Chloe Mel]

Thank you, Sally.

[Stephanie Kariuchi]

Should we capture the rain sounds? This is Stephanie, producer on the show. We are here backstage. Yeah, it's pretty packed in here. We're in a room that has. So the room is railroad style one end to the next. And the hype is real. Like, it just. You can sense everyone is running back and forth. We keep getting in the way. You can see how stressed everyone is. Alex Khonsani is to our right, getting her makeup done, her hair done and being hilarious, I assume. So right now we are leaving where the Givenchy show will take place in just a few hours. Nicole, Choma and Chloe will be right there underneath that tent, seeing what Sarah Burton has for us next.

[Chloe Mel]

I love Sarah Burton so much. I find the authenticity of her vision so endearing and lovely. And also you can see that she is not intimidated by the weight of the history of the house of Givenchy, that she takes from it. What works. But also it's so her own eye and sensibility. And I thought it was such a ladylike but fun. And it was ladylike but not restrained.

[Cho Minardi]

Exactly. And I always have an eye to the tailoring at Givenchy. I mean, she used to it.

[Sally Singer]

To used.

[Cho Minardi]

It shows that she used to work on Savile Row because every suit jacket, every trouser, everything is just so precise and looks so effortless on all of the models you do.

[Chloe Mel]

As we talk about so many male creative directors and the lack of women at the heads of these large houses, you do feel a feminine sensibility from Givenchy and the way that it is. The clothes feel like they are made with women in mind.

[Cho Minardi]

Totally. I also think the women she brings together, British Vogue's latest cover star, Ray, was there and it was so sweet. Cause she sent me a little heart from across the room. And she had told me, actually on the podcast, how much she loved Sarah, how she'd asked Sarah to make special looks for her for Glastonbury. And there's a genuine connection. Sarah builds a community of women. Gwendoline Christie was there. I think that. And also the biggest kind of starry moment was Jenna Ortega, who is absolutely so tiny and petite, teeny, teeny, tiny. And sitting next to Gwendolyn Christie. It was quite a contrast. And then you just see that, you know, just. Just a range of women.

[Chloe Mel]

And of course, Rooney, who's been Rooney.

[Cho Minardi]

Who'S been much more Givenchy for a long time. A long time. And you never really see her out.

[Unidentified Guest]

I loved her look. That's what I mean. I mean, I love that little white dress.

[Cho Minardi]

Yeah, she looks amazing.

[Chloe Mel]

A micro mini white lace dress with the leather biker jacket and flat ballerina.

[Cho Minardi]

The flats. What we've been seeing everywhere that she grounded the entire show with almost.

[Chloe Mel]

The sun has just come out over the Seine in Paris. It was pelting rain this morning as we pulled up to Alaia. We're feeling much better. Choma set the scene at Alaia.

[Cho Minardi]

It was at the former Foundation Cartier. They're actually opening their new foundation later this month. So lots of people are coming back for that anyway, so it is like a giant mirrored box. So you have mirrors on the ceiling, mirrors on the floor, so there's light coming from every direction. And the show opened with projected videos on the floor of their campaign faces, some of whom were in the show. And so as the models were walking out in in kind of really beautiful color palette. It's quite unusual for a lyre because you expect just black and white and maybe some neutral tones. We've been seeing a lot of texture and fringe and lots of fringe skirts, tassels, which seem to be like gigantic tassels that you would find on curtains. So that home that play of, like, working in interior textures and details was very much in it. And then.

[Chloe Mel]

And clothes that move and make noise.

[Unidentified Guest]

I also thought there was video playing throughout the show so the light would change as the models would walk. I thought that was interesting. There was these kind of the new take on a onesie, which, you know, the arms were tucked in, and I think when you saw the back, they were open with jeans. So.

[Sally Singer]

Yeah.

[Cho Minardi]

And the stirrup. The stirrup leggings I very much enjoy. I'm going to enjoy seeing people out in the world wearing this.

[Nicole Phelps]

All right, we'll be back later.

[Chloe Mel]

Bye, everybody.

[Cho Minardi]

Hi, it's Cho Minardi. If you're not on the Vogue app yet, what the hell are you doing? You can follow along with me and other editors as we talk about everything happening in fashion. Think you're already a fashion expert? Well, find out how your Runway IQ stacks up against the Vogue community with an all new Runway genius leaderboard. So download the Vogue app today and you'll never miss a moment.

[Chloe Mel]

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[Nicole Phelps]

Duran Duran.

[Duran Lantink]

Duran Duran.

[Nicole Phelps]

My favorite band.

[Duran Lantink]

Really?

[Nicole Phelps]

Before you were born.

[Duran Lantink]

No. Amazing.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yes. Yes. From 1984 to 1986.

[Duran Lantink]

Yeah.

[Nicole Phelps]

I dreamed about Duran Duran every night. Yeah. Duran. Welcome to the run through.

[Duran Lantink]

Thank you for having me. Nicole.

[Nicole Phelps]

Thank you for being here. You are four days, five days away from your debut at Jean Paul Gaultier.

[Duran Lantink]

Yes. Exciting.

[Nicole Phelps]

How do you feel at this moment?

[Duran Lantink]

Well, it's very difficult to describe. I think I feel every minute another emotion. But at this point I think I'm quite confident about what we have put together and what we have accomplished because it's also a start and it's a new beginning and there's a new team and there's a new ecosystem. You kind of have to adapt and sort of try to create your language in quite a short time. So I think for what we're doing is the right direction or the right starting point of where I would like to go.

[Nicole Phelps]

Well, we can't wait. I think the first time I encountered you was during COVID Right. Or very shortly after Covid. And you made an incredible video shot outside of Amsterdam.

[Duran Lantink]

Yes, it was in the abandoned castle of the. Of the royal family. So I used drones. Yeah, we used drones. It was a very exciting. Well, it wasn't really an exciting moment because it was Covid, but like, it was a very good moment for me to kind of start entering the fashion world because it was a moment where nobody could go to shows. So I figured out, oh, now I can actually do something because people don't have to be physically there. So I started this idea of what if I would create a show in an abandoned castle with drones and then you would have a whole front row with drone bots that are pretending to be celebrities and journalists. So we had all these drones seated front row and then we had other drones filming the models in the abandoned castle. So it was really, I think it was a, a very fun project to do for me.

[Nicole Phelps]

What really stands out, first of all, the ingenuity of it, but also the clothes themselves, which were very cool. It was a lot of upcycled pieces and some of them from familiar brands. Right, mashed together in your unique style.

[Duran Lantink]

Yes. I think it was also a moment because before COVID I started collaborating with browns and with different multi brand stores where they would give me their dad's stock. And I started recreating new items because I thought it was so sad that things end up in the landfill. And, you know, there's being put quite a lot of energy in these design pieces. So I was thinking, okay, how can I kind of transform that and put it back into the store? But what happened was during COVID people kind of backed out in giving me that stock. So I had like loads of that stock in my studio. And I was like, this is the moment that I'm just going to repurpose everything that I still have. And that's how that collection sort of came together.

[Nicole Phelps]

It really sticks out in my memory. And when was your first show in Paris?

[Duran Lantink]

Oh my God. When was my first show? I don't know. March. March 2023.

[Nicole Phelps]

March 23. And you caught the eye of people right away. And it wasn't necessarily with a lot of upcycling and mashing up. You had. You sort of quickly pivoted to this other idea. You were working a lot with volume and these exaggerated shapes. How did you land on that kind of an idea?

[Duran Lantink]

Well, I think mashing up that stock and closing pieces was always quite important for me. I've been doing that for a very long time during my studies, actually before my studies as well. And somehow I started seeing it a bit more and I Was like, okay, I kind of need to reinvent myself or I need to find another way of making design interesting for me again. So I started thinking about, what if we don't mesh it up, but what if we change the form of the closing piece? So you have a T shirt, but what if you make a bold T shirt or you've changed the form of a denim jacket and quite like normal clothing pieces, like a denim jacket, a trench coat, a jeans, but just changed the form of it. And that started making me excited again. So that's how that came.

[Nicole Phelps]

It made fashion very excited too. I remember coming home from that season and all of the stylists were talking about you.

[Duran Lantink]

Ah, that's nice.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yes. And you said that John Paul Gaultier has cultural relevance. What are some of your first memories? You're living in Amsterdam? I mean.

[Duran Lantink]

No, in the Hague, actually.

[Nicole Phelps]

In the Hague, yeah.

[Duran Lantink]

So my first memories from Jean Paul Gaultier was. I think I was 12 years old and I got this beanie with devil horns from a friend of my parents for my birthday, and I couldn't stop wearing it. It was like my favorite item in the whole world. And there's the other moment where I went to high school. It was my first day of camp for the high school kind of situation. So you go to the high school, and it was quite a conservative high school. And I came there with a mesh top and Ganesh on it with my nipples out. And it was a Jean Paul Gauche shirt. And so there's like loads of memories of having a go Che item and kind of really feel that you're standing for something or that you create your own identity of it. And I think that's so important if you can have a closing piece. And that makes you feel empowered somehow. And I think he did that with me. So.

[Nicole Phelps]

Hmm. What would you say beyond that sense of, you know, this individuality and sort of helping you find your individuality, maybe? What do you think of now as you are creative directing the house? What are the codes that you want people to. To understand about Jean Paul Gaultier?

[Duran Lantink]

Well, the. I think the most important thing that I'm doing is I'm playing with the codes. And I think Jean Paul Gaultier was also always playing with codes. So for me, it's very. I work very intuitively, and I'm imagining somehow what a Champagne gauche world is and not really, really dig deep into it yet. Like, I find it more important to kind of imagine a world where champago che is sort of super relevant for me. And that's how I'm trying to create a collection or kind of create a story. So they're not necessarily. I'm not going to say I'm going to work with mariniere stripes or mesh things. I'm just like, I'm really trying to catch the energy of it. And I think there was such a. For me, for instance, Jean Paul Gaultier Jr. Is such a relevant label, and it was very much about youth. About now, about. It's very urgent in a way. You find it in nightlife, but you find it in the street. It became very much something that went beyond a fashion show.

[Nicole Phelps]

Beyond the Runway?

[Duran Lantink]

Yeah, beyond the Runway became very much part of street culture. And I really like that about it.

[Nicole Phelps]

I mean, it's interesting what you're saying, because up until now, or in the recent past, let's say since COVID there have been a group of designers who have each reinterpreted Jean Paul Gaultier on the couture runways. And they have definitely, I think almost all of them taken a very sort of high fashion couture approach. But it sounds like what you want to do is not that.

[Duran Lantink]

No, it's interesting because now that I'm working for a brand which is a bigger house and there's more opportunities, I feel like you can create a world, but you can start with a fashion show that is, I would say fashion. So it's less like, for instance, I'm not going to show jeans or, you know, I'm not going to show a T shirt on the catwalk.

[Nicole Phelps]

What about logos?

[Duran Lantink]

I'm doing logos for sure. I'm doing junior logos. Junior, for me, just is a very exciting starting point. But like, I can imagine that, like, you do a fashion show and then afterwards you start. You start sort of creating a world around it, which is not necessarily with models or fashion. So I think it's also a bit more of a longer journey to create something. But the fashion show is going to be, I think, fashion, or what I think is fashion.

[Nicole Phelps]

So tell me about your process. You accepted the job and what's the first thing you did when you got here? Fitting very quick.

[Duran Lantink]

Yeah, the first thing. Well, I mean, I introduced myself to the whole team and I shaked about 500 hands. But no, we started directly doing fittings because that's the thing I like most, to play around three dimensionally. I'm not necessarily really much a mood board person, so I just like to walk around, find things, try things on, twist it, cut in it, and kind of see if there's Coming. Something that is worth studying. So I think that's the first thing that I did.

[Nicole Phelps]

And was that sort of starting from scratch or were you looking at the archives? I don't even know what Jean Paul Gauthier's archives are like, although I presume they must be good if we have all of these designers in the last five years doing.

[Duran Lantink]

Yes, Very.

[Nicole Phelps]

Archival references.

[Duran Lantink]

Yes. No. So I've decided for now to approach it a bit like the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. So basically, I'm not entering the archive. I'm keeping it closed for now, even though I really want to go in, because it, like, it's probably going to be fucking amazing. And then, can I say fucking, I don't know. And I want to go in, but I kind of first want to imagine what's behind that door and create that fantasy world in a way. And. And that's more my approach for now. So apparently there is a really insane good archive, but I'm not letting myself in yet.

[Nicole Phelps]

Wow, that feels really, you know, ambitious to me and, like a very. A bold choice.

[Duran Lantink]

Yes. I'm probably going to be slaughtered by it, but I don't. I don't care. I think it's. It is a bold choice, but I think it's also. It's good because I want this to be kind of. Well, no, not kind of. I want this to be a fresh start. So I'm a little bit scared if I go into the archive, I get too inspired and it becomes too much like a kind of literal copy. And now that I don't have access to it, I know in the back of my head what Jean Paul Gaultier is, but I'm more free to kind of twist it.

[David Remnick]

Hi, this is David Remnick, editor of the New Yorker. This fall, join us in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the New Yorker at the New Yorker Festival, returning October 24 through 26. We'll be joined by Salman Rushdie, Sarah Jessica Parker, George Saunders, Zadie Smith, Rasheed Johnson, Keanu Reeves, and many more others. Tickets are on sale now, and we'll be announcing more events soon. You can learn [e-mail] festival. That's the newyorker.com festival.

[Nicole Phelps]

Something that you said to my colleague Luke Leach. You said, I think now more than ever, it's important to be a bit more radical. Because if we're not being radical, then what are we doing? Why is that your philosophy?

[Duran Lantink]

That's always been my philosophy, I guess. But no, I think it's very important. To be radical. I don't even know if it is radical. You know what I mean? I just feel that somehow we're living in a world where it becomes more and more dangerous to kind of do things that feel free for you. Like, for instance, there is. I was doing research somewhere, and, you know, you get arrested if a person walks naked in the street. So basically you're not allowed to walk naked, which is kind of like a weird idea to me. Like, why are. We're people? You know what I mean?

[Nicole Phelps]

We're all naked underneath our clothes.

[Duran Lantink]

Like, what. What. What's the deal? So, I mean, maybe that's a really weird example, actually. But I feel like we're slight. We're. We're slowly sort of drifting to this very conservative world where there's like. I don't know. I just don't want to be part of a conservative society, I guess I don't want to be part of a conservative society. And that's why Champagoche is so good for me, because I feel like it's very unconventional and it. And it has this sort of. This freedom and you are not scared to take risks that other people might think is weird. And I think I've always been like that. I've always. Like, as a child as well, I always hated it when people got bullied because they were different. You know what I mean? And that's something I just. I can't accept. I just can't. So that's why people might find it radical. But I think it's just a good way. A good way of living in a. I don't know.

[Nicole Phelps]

I agree.

[Duran Lantink]

Yeah.

[Nicole Phelps]

It is a good way to live down with bullies. So Jean Paul Gaultier himself said that you are the new enfant terrible of fashion. And I want to know if you've met Gaultier yet.

[Duran Lantink]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I met. I met Mr. Goche. But we. I think, yeah, we. We're having a cup. We had. I don't know. I see him. I probably. I see him once in the two months or something, once a month. And then we have lunch with his husband. And it's very nice and he's super kind, and I think it's. It's a great relationship because we don't necessarily talk about fashion. We more talk about film or music or just fun things in a way. So. And so, I mean, we had a conversation about Pierre Gardin and. And those kind of things, but it's not. It's very nice. He's very. He's Just a very kind person and I like that.

[Nicole Phelps]

And ebullient too. Right? It feels like Jean Paul Gaultier is always up.

[Duran Lantink]

Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The energy is really great. Yes, it's a very great energy. So I'm very fortunate and happy that I can spend time with him from time to time.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yes. Well, you brought up movies and music, and so that made me curious. Have you seen anything good or listened to anything good lately?

[Duran Lantink]

I listen a lot to John Giorno at the moment. I somehow tapped into John Giorno by accident. I think I was listening to something from William S. Barrows Daiwa poem. And then I started researching what Daiwa poem was. And then I came to John Giorno and Gian Giorno has this amazing spoken word poetry where he does this cut up techniques. And I got completely addicted to it. I've been listening to it like weekends and weekends, just when I was working. It's just like John Giorno's voice in my head constantly. And it made me feel very calm, which is quite weird because if you listen to it, it's pretty intense. But somehow it just made me feel very meditative. So that's what I'm listening to at the moment. In terms of films and series, I haven't really been able to concentrate. I like. I like watching series, but since I've been moving to Paris, I just don't have the. I don't have the concentration for it. Like, I try and then after five minutes I'm like, oh, I need to do something else.

[Nicole Phelps]

Well, you say you are, you know, quite busy and it's hard to focus on things outside of work. But I'm curious. This is a season of many debuts, and if you are paying attention at all to your fellow debuting designers.

[Duran Lantink]

Yeah, yeah, no, for sure. I look at Vogue Runway, I'm subscribed. So. No, no, no, no. I do look. It's great. It's great to see what the other designers do. I mean, I really like fashion, so that will never change. So always look to see what other people do.

[Nicole Phelps]

Do you feel like a sense of camaraderie? There's so many of you making debuts this season. Do you think it's easier to be doing your first collection for a new house this season than it might be in a different season?

[Duran Lantink]

I haven't really. I don't think I've really thought about it in that way. I just always, like. I kind of always try to just focus on what I need to do. And I'm also a person that, like, downsizes quite A lot of things. So what I'm doing is I just basically think day by day, and I'm, like, not trying to zoom out and kind of be part of a spectacle. I'm just like, okay, I'm here. I just need to do this. I want to make a certain type of collection, and that's just my main goal and focus. And I would, I think, if I would. If I would zoom out and, like, go into more perspective of what's happening, I would probably get quite nervous. So I try to kind of avoid that. That energy or that emotion in a way. But I'm just excited, and I'm excited to do my first show for Jean Paul Gaultier. I mean, it's a really legendary house, so it's. Yeah, scary somehow.

[Nicole Phelps]

Let's backtrack a little bit. Last season you had this viral sort of moment, right. And it was a very cool shoot, but it began and ended with these latex sort of torsos and you swapped sexes, I guess you could say. And I wonder if you. If you anticipated the way the Internet woke up when you did that.

[Duran Lantink]

I like that the Internet woke up. First of all, it was really much about, like, playing with forms and sort of shaping and cosplay and animal prints and checks and bad taste and good taste and everything kind of together. And I think there were loads of comments, always of my clothes, that I was trying to form the body, but it was never really my intention to form the body. Like, I was always, like, trying to reshape clothing pieces. Obviously, if you put a clothing piece on that is reshaped. It also gives the illusion that your body has changed. But that just made me start thinking of bodies in a way. I'm like. I think I'm really much focused on clothes and not necessarily on the body, which is a complete contradiction, because clothes are part of the body, I would say. But at the end of the day, we have Mika, and I really wanted to work with Mika.

[Nicole Phelps]

Mika, our. I can't pronounce her last name, but a very famous model.

[Duran Lantink]

Yes. And I was very happy that she wanted to finally walk my show. And then we had, like, these amazing pants that was going. It was like going to the front, and it had, like, this metal construction that it, like, looked that it was sort of sitting off the body. And somehow I was like, oh, it could be so amazing if we put Mika in a male torso and kind of make her a superhero situation. So that's what we were doing. And then we had the male torso. And I was like, well, that's kind of unfair. We kind of need a pair of tits as well to kind of balance it out. So the tits were not even the first initial idea. It was really having Mika in this musculine torso. So that kind of like. I think it was, like, very playful. I was never expecting to. For people to react in that way. So I think maybe I'm quite naive. It's just weird in my mind that that becomes an issue.

[Nicole Phelps]

Well, going back to what you said about, you know, being naked is illegal.

[Duran Lantink]

Yes, exactly.

[Nicole Phelps]

On the streets, but along those same lines. And I've asked you this before, and you. You, Maybe you dodged little bit. So you, you know, you haven't been doing these. These shapes for. For that long, really, a couple of years, or maybe it was just even one or two seasons before I started seeing these shapes on other runways. Like, people very quickly noticed them, other designers and were influenced by them. And you probably don't want to talk about this, but how does that feel when you see something like that happen?

[Duran Lantink]

I mean, first of all, I'm not the one that invented shapes on bodies. I mean, it was there way before me. And also, I think I'm just not. I just don't allow myself to be a bitter person and start being frustrated if other designers do something which is similar. You know what I mean? I mean, they're free to do it, and they do it in their own ways, and I think that's fine. So, no, I don't really. I don't care too much about it. I think there's always kind of an energy, and. And then people start doing similar things. And at the end of the day, maybe it's also good because it would get it more into a sort of commercial world, because in the end, that's what you're trying to push. So by other people doing it, it becomes a bigger thing, which is great, because then maybe one day we will see people wearing donut skirts. You know what I mean? So, no, I'm okay with it. I think it's. It's good.

[Nicole Phelps]

And to take on the John Paul Gauthier job, You have paused your own brand for the moment.

[Duran Lantink]

Yes.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yes. And that was okay with you? This is a great opportunity.

[Duran Lantink]

I mean, I think it's the most healthiest thing to do because at the end of the day, it's a new job, and it's like, it's a very serious one, and it is a big company. I need to do six collections a year, and I want to figure that out first. And I Want to make sure that I create something with Jean Paul Gauche that is. That is good and that there's full focus on. And once that is done and it's going well, I might start my own brand again. But I feel like I need to pause it just to focus and make sure that I can give everything I have now. So, yeah, one day Jiren will be alive again.

[Nicole Phelps]

Good. Well, it wasn't that long ago you were in school, right. We have a lot of listeners who are young people, aspiring designers, or just students. So we always ask this question, what advice do you have for young people who look up to you, who admire what you do?

[Duran Lantink]

This is such a difficult question, this one, I think. I mean, for me, it was always very important in art school that I followed my own intuitions and don't get too distracted by the comments from certain teachers. I think it's very important that you follow your own vision and try to find help with people supporting your vision rather than being insecure about it. I think that helped me a lot.

[Nicole Phelps]

Is it true that you had people at design school who thought you were weird or were you?

[Duran Lantink]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, it wasn't only in design school. I think it already started at elementary school. I think I'm a person that does deliver, but I don't have a. I never have a traditional process. So it was hard always. And I think in art school and the fashion department in the beginning, really didn't understand why I was using existing clothing pieces to make my collections because they wanted me to do patterns and new materials, and I just refused to do that. I don't. I didn't like. I didn't like that way. And for me, it was way more efficient to cut up things because you get a quicker. You get a quicker grasp of what you want to do. So I had to fight for that a lot. And then they were thinking I was more of a stylist rather than a designer. But that's always what's happening. Everybody always has an opinion and thinks that they know better what you are than yourself. You know what I mean? And I think at the end of the day, that's okay. But just make sure that. Just go for whatever you think is right.

[Nicole Phelps]

Well, where do you think your sort of self confidence comes from? A lot of people are more waffly than it sounds like you are. How do. How have you cultivated that sense of sureness inside yourself?

[Duran Lantink]

Well, I don't. It's hard because I don't necessarily. I mean, I'm insecure about things. I mean, I always question my collections and I'm always questioning the looks. This lever moment, I'm not questioning it, but I think I've always had this very strong feeling that I need to do things my own way. And I have had that from a very young age. So it got me into loads of troubles, but it's just the only thing I can do somehow, you know what I mean? It's hard for me to get told what I need to do. I just need to do it how I think is the right way. So I don't know if it's. That is being sure of yourself. It's just a. It's just an instinct. It's like an instinct that needs to just be. I can't. I can't keep it in somehow.

[Nicole Phelps]

Well, I'm very excited to see John Paul Gaultier the Duran way.

[Duran Lantink]

Me too. I mean, I've already seen it, but. No, me too. I think I feel excited about it. I mean, I'm also partly scared, of course, but no, I do feel that it is a good starting point for where I want to go. Like, it's also. It's also my first collection and I need a bit of time to, you know, get deeper into the spirit, but I think this is a good starting point.

[Nicole Phelps]

Thank you.

[Duran Lantink]

Thank you for having me.

[Chloe Mel]

The run through is produced by Chelsea Daniel, Alex Depalma and Stephanie Kariuchi with help from Emily Elias. It's engineered by Pran Bandy and James Yost. It is mixed by Mike Kutchman. Chris Bannon is Conde Nast's head of global audio. Lights, camera, fashion. This year, Vogue world is heading to Hollywood. The scene, the legendary Paramount Pictures studio's lot.

[Nicole Phelps]

The plot.

[Chloe Mel]

Cinema's most iconic costumes meet fashion's biggest designers. Think Edward Scissorhands tailoring and Marie Antoinette opulence. It's drama, it's decadence. It's a costume department come to life. The countdown starts now. Learn more about the livestream event of the [e-mail] and cut.

[Nicole Phelps]

From prx.