It’s a sad day for the French fashion industry: Jean Paul Gaultier, one of the pioneers of French ready-to-wear, announced that he would close his women’s and men’s lines due to commercial constraints.

In fact, Puig, the Spanish Group which has acquired the French fashion house in 2011, declared that the designer would only focus on developing Haute Couture, and on broadening the beauty and fragrances offering, next to exploring interior design and artistic collaborations.

"For some time, I have found true fulfillment in working on the Haute Couture and it allows me to express my creativity and my taste for research and experimentation," the designer told WWD. "At the same time, the world of ready-to-wear has evolved considerably. Commercial constraints, as well as the frenetic pace of collections, don't leave any freedom, nor the necessary time to find fresh ideas and to innovate."

The designer, who launched his label in 1976, will show his last women’s wear offering for the Spring/Summer 2015 season in Paris, on September 27th. Jean Paul Gaultier cheekily added that his last ready-to-wear show "certainly won't be a funeral" - which means that the invited guests can expect an eccentric, Gaultier-esque celebration. In addition, his retrospective, The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, will be exhibited at Paris’ Grand Palais from April 1st to August 3rd, 2015.

Picture courtesy of Rainer Torrado.