Beth Ditto brings Jean Paul Gaultier XXL appeal

US rock outfit Gossip's larger-than-life frontwoman Beth Ditto Saturday opened a three-dimensional fashion show by Jean Paul Gaultier, whose "rock and romantic" summer look went "from XXS to XXL".

Beth Ditto at Jean Paul Gaultier's catwalk - SS 2011 / Foto: Pixel Formula

Loyal admirer Catherine Deneuve took up a front-row seat, donning 3D glasses to sample the full depth of the silk prints worn by the singer and the first group of models.

With boyish 1980s short hair and coloured eyelids, Gaultier's woman walked out in short jackets over pleated harem pants and chunky boots.

Jean jackets were stitched with white or red on shoulders that jutted out into a square shape, paired with slimline pants to sculpt a slender silhouette.

Red leather bloomers were matched with varnished red boots laced up to the knee.

One of a kind among the supermodels -- including the American Karlie Kloss who opened the show, as at Dior and Sonia Rykiel -- a generous-figured model stepped out in a blood-red dress, followed by a body-hugging stretch print.

"What counts is personality, there is not just the one form of stereotyped beauty," Gaultier told reporters backstage.

"The collections' pleats can be worn by any size, and adapt to different body shapes," he said.

Jeans were married with black lace, used to extend a skirt, while Gaultier's signature sailor stripe cropped up in a pair of harem pants, or a small layered top in red or blue.

And fish-net tights popped up out of context -- as a bustier over a white blouse or above the designer's trademark powder-pink corset.

"You know, we often tug at our underwear, and some women tend to pull their pantyhose up too high. So here I decided to bring them right up above the chest," quipped the designer.

Closing the show, Ditto walked back out in fish-net tights and black shorts under a dress of tulle and pale pink flowers, singing a cappella before throwing the microphone to the ground -- and handing Gaultier a glass of champagne.