Jean Paul Gaultier chooses his favorite Gaultier inspired

Agnyss Deyn and Jean Paul Gaultier for the Ma Dame perfume campaign.  Photo by Jean-Baptiste Mondino.

The de Young Museum recently held an exciting, fashion-forward contest to promote the launch of their special exhibition, "The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk", which opens on March 24 to August 19, 2012.  People were encouraged to submit their most inspired Gaultier get-up to win tickets to La Grande Fête - the opening black-tie ceremony of the exhibition on March 23rd that will be attended by Jean Paul Gaultier himself.

The de Young posted the submitted photos to their Facebook page, for everyone's viewing enjoyment and to encourage additional people to enter.  The contest had a range of submissions, from the DIY home fashion style creations to San Francisco designer originals.  What made Facebook as a contest medium interesting and engaging is that people had the opportunity to comment on the pictures.  One of the comments to a woman who submitted a picture of herself in a cone bra was "Holy molely!  The museum is awesome!"  There were many more comments throughout the picture gallery that made following the submissions of the contest entertaining.   

Without knowing how the judging was going to be done, many of the designers who entered encouraged friends to "like" their submitted pictures on Facebook, exciting everyone about the contest.  One of the most popular pictures was that of designer Vasily Vein's that gained 587 votes.  At the submission deadline, 63 photos were entered into the contest and everyone was eager to find out who would win the tickets to the de Young party and the opportunity to meet avant-garde designer Jean Paul Gaultier.

Submission by fashion designer Vasily Vein.  Photo by Fred Jennings.

The big surprise of the contest was that the de Young Museum was able to have Jean Paul Gaultier choose the submissions he liked best.  The two winners of the contest were San Francisco fashion designer Daniel Sudar and artist Christina Cree.  Daniel entered one of the designs from his Spring 2012 collection and Christina entered a design that was showcased at fashionART Santa Cruz 2011.  Daniel Sudar's response on Facebook and Twitter was "I am the winner of Jean paul.gaultier contest!!!!!  He selected [the winners] himself. I am speechless....."

Winning design by Daniel Sudar.  Chosen by Jean Paul Gaultier.

Winning design by Christina Morgan Cree.  Photo by Bari Lee.

Overall, the de Young Museum executed a contest that had people thinking about Jean Paul Gaultier's fashion influence and how they could be involved in the museum's festivities.  Even those who don't have the chance to attend the opening ceremony will have the opportunity for the greater celebration; viewing the exhibition and seeing Gaultier's inventiveness and humanist vision through cutting-edge fashion and eclectic sources of his ideas. 

All 63 entries to the de Young "inspired by Gaultier" contest: