Jean Paul Gaultier to dress Madonna for Eurovision performance
Madonna with Jean Paul Gaultier (ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty)
Acclaimed French fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier is set to design an original outfit for Madonna to wear during her Eurovision performance in Tel Aviv next month.
Gaultier—who has a long history of working with Madonna—will reportedly arrive in Israel on May 13 ahead of the final and will also be dressing Israeli Eurovision star Dana International, according to Haaretz.
Reports suggest that Madonna personally asked the fashion designer to come up with an original outfit for her much hyped performance.
Madonna and Jean-Paul Gaultier have a long working relationship
The pair’s long working relationship began in the 1990s when Gaultier dressed Madonna in his legendary pointed corset costume. The corset had previously been displayed in 1982 but was later made iconic by Madonna.
Just last year, Gaultier dressed Madonna once again for the Met Gala in New York.
Details of the Eurovision performance are being kept firmly under wraps, although the pop star is rumoured to be performing two songs and will reportedly receive $1 million for the event.
Madonna with Jean Paul Gaultier (Theo Wargo/Getty)
Madonna has been urged to cancel her Eurovision performance as a part of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement
While many fans expressed excitement about Madonna’s Eurovision performance when news broke last month, not everybody was happy. A number of groups have urged the singer to pull out and cancel her performance as a part of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel over the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) led calls earlier this month for Madonna to boycott the contest.
They have joined the Jewish Voice for Peace in creating a petition asking the singer to boycott Eurovision.
In an open letter, the group said they hope she will “not undermine our struggle for freedom, justice and equality” by performing at the event.
“Thousands of artists now publicly support the call from Palestinian artists and cultural organisations for the cultural boycott of Israel.”
– Alia Malak of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)
In a statement released to PinkNews, Alia Malak of PACBI said that Madonna had previously expressed her support for Palestinians. She referenced an Instagram post from 2014 in which Madonna said she “loves” Palestinians and said she wanted “peace and no wall.”
Malak said: “Thousands of artists now publicly support the call from Palestinian artists and cultural organisations for the cultural boycott of Israel. Madonna’s announcement that she will cross Palestinians’ long-established picket line comes at a time when fewer and fewer major international artists are willing to perform to an effectively segregated audience under apartheid.”
Meanwhile, Gaultier has a long history of working with Eurovision performers. He famously dressed Conchita Wurst for her winning performance in 2014. She later made her modelling debut in one of his shows.
