Early Life and Influences Jean-Paul Gaultier was born on April 24, 1952, in Arcueil, a suburb of Paris, France. His mother was a seamstress, which exposed him to the world of fashion from an early age. He displayed artistic talent early on and began sketching designs as a child. Gaultier’s early influences were diverse. He admired the work of haute couture designers like Pierre Cardin and Jean Patou, who pushed boundaries in their own…