Jean Paul has presented couture collections since 1997 and remains one of France's greatest fashion talents. The designer has captivated the fashion world throughout his 40-year career, shocking and garnering praise in equal parts for his iconoclastic haute couture collections.

In September 2014, on the cusp of unveiling his SS/14 collection, Jean Paul announced it would be his final ready-to-wear collection after almost four decades in the business. During his fashion career he has evolved from arriviste, to provocateur, to establishment, to institution. His craft as a designer has never been shy of the 'theatre of fashion', so it makes perfect sense that couture remains Jean Paul Gaultier's only turn on the runway of the fashion calendar.

"I don't know about the others but couture has always been very important for me. When I was starting as a designer, couture was actually all I knew about. I think I've always actually thought as a couturier, from my very first drawing to almost everything I've designed so far,” said Gaultier in an exclusive interview for ACF Media.

The Outstanding Contribution to the Global Couture Industry Award was presented to Jean Paul Gaultier at the Asian Couture Federation Gala in London (Dec 2016).