The fashion designer known as the “enfant terrible of fashion” is the star of an international retrospective that is currently running in Madrid until January 2013. The title of the retrospective is “The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk” and it is the first one to be dedicated to this particular designer.

Jean Paul Gaultier in Madrid

Gaultier himself has helped put the show together and before arriving in Madrid it has travelled to  Dallas, San Francisco and Rotterdam too. The show has been curated by  Nathalie Bondil from the MMFA Montreal Museum of Fine Arts together with the Jean Paul Gaultier Maison and the Mapfre Foundation.

The audience will be treated to audiovisual aspects, footage from previous fashion shows, interviews with the man himself and of course will get a chance to view a wealth of Gaultier’s haute couture designs including some of his earliest work.

Gaultier is one of the most successful fashion designers in the world and his bold designs have influenced artists all over the world. Anyone with an interest in the fashion world will not want to miss out on this spectacular event. It is being held in the Mapfre Foundation Recoletos Exhibition Hall and will run until mid-January next year.

If you are lucky enough to be visiting Spain’s capital Madrid any time soon then you should not miss out on a day trip to the stunning city of Toledo, just 70km away. Toledo was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986 due to its historical importance and not to mention its stunning architecture.

Fancy a day trip to Toledo from Madrid?

With The Moors, Jews and Christians all at one time or another having occupied the city there are a myriad of different influences within the city’s architecture. The 10th Century Mosque of Cristo de las Luz is well worth a visit as is the 14th Century Synagogue called El Tránsito and the Gothic styled Primada Cathedral too. At the cathedral visitors can also view a very valuable collection of Paintings by El Greco, Lucas Jordán, Van Dick and Goya.

At the highest point in Toledo sites the splendid Roman Palace Alcazar of Toledo. Every facade represents a different era in the Palace’s history. It is currently home to the Army and Military Museum having been reconstructed after it was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War.

Swords, ceramics and damascene work are all handcrafted in Toledo and the traditional fayre of deer, wild boar, pigeons, quails and partridges also draws the crowds. For a day out you won’t forget while visiting Madrid, head to Toledo.