Duran Lantink, the newly appointed creative director of Jean Paul Gaultier, offers insight into his artistic development and current work from his Paris atelier. Born and raised in The Hague, Lantink’s creative journey began early, shaped by personal experiences and formative influences that challenged conventional norms.
As a child, Lantink faced bullying over his appearance, an experience that led him to make bold personal choices such as shaving his long hair and wearing an earring to fit in with peers. At 16, exposure to Alejandro Jodorowsky’s surreal 1973 film “The Holy Mountain” broadened his understanding of imagination’s limitless potential and encouraged him to embrace the unconventional in his own work.
Lantink pursued formal education at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, where he encountered the “Exactitudes” photo series, which documented various subcultures. Finding the categorization frustrating, he sought to dismantle rigid style definitions by creating collages that blended disparate fashion elements, reflecting his belief that identity and style resist neat classification. Influenced also by Japanese actor and drag performer Akihiro Miwa, Lantink continues to draw inspiration from visual and performative arts despite a demanding schedule.
In 2021, Lantink held his inaugural runway show for his own label in the former residence of Dutch royalty. Adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event replaced a live audience with drones, which at times collided with the walls, adding an unexpected element to the presentation. Among the showcased looks was a combination of vintage and contemporary pieces — notably a German police jacket reworked with padding, a dress crafted from a Fendi python skirt, and hybrid footwear pairing Prada heels with Nike Air VaporMax soles.
Since moving to Paris, where he now lives in the city’s Eighth Arrondissement, Lantink works long hours at Gaultier’s atelier among mood boards and a distinctive croissant-shaped couch. His debut Gaultier collection, presented last June in Paris, included reinterpretations of iconic tattoo prints rendered as 3-D printed mesh patterns, exploring possibilities beyond traditional body art. Photography by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin captured models wearing archival pieces through this contemporary lens.
Personal touches permeate Lantink’s life and workspace. His residence blends minimalist and colorful clothing, with a preference for white T-shirts and linen tunics alongside carefully curated vintage finds, such as a circa 2000 Jean-Claude Kervroëdan chair acquired from a Paris flea market. His refrigerator contains a modest selection of produce and a large unopened bottle of Coca-Cola—a nod to his particular habits. Lantink’s admiration for artists like Marcel Duchamp fuels his creative ethos, often inspiring him to imagine narratives behind iconic images.
Lantink’s connection to fashion history is also evident in his appreciation for Gaultier’s legacy. One of his favorite objects is “Le Défilé,” a photographic book documenting Gaultier’s 1985 collaboration with choreographer Régine Chopinot, from which he drew inspiration for tulle costumes in his couture collection.
Recently photographed enjoying a meal at Le Cheval d’Or, a French-Chinese restaurant in Paris’s 19th Arrondissement, Lantink wore a vintage People of the Labyrinths shirt once owned by an uncle. The meal offered not only culinary delight but also moments of casual reflection amid a busy creative schedule.
Through his work and personal narrative, Duran Lantink exemplifies a fusion of artistry, cultural influences, and innovation as he shapes the future direction of Jean Paul Gaultier.