Jean Paul Gaultier AW26-27 Haute Couture show showcases custom 3D printing by Sculpteo

After contributing to the creation of several looks showcased at Jean Paul Gaultier’s latest Autumn/Winter ’26 to ’27 Haute Couture show, Sculpteo, a specialist in industrial 3D printing, continues to expand its presence in the fashion world.

Romi, who designed some of the pieces for the Jean Paul Gaultier collection, is known for his work with fashion houses such as Tom Ford and Loewe. This new collaboration highlights the growing interest among designers in using 3D printing to bring increasingly ambitious pieces to life.

Picture courtesy: © Haute Couture catwalk show AW26–27 Jean Paul Gaultier.

For the A/W 2026–27 Jean Paul Gaultier collection, Romi collaborated with Sculpteo to create several 3D printed elements for the runway looks.

The teams contributed to the creation of five looks in the collection, with varying levels of involvement:

• For four of the key looks, Sculpteo manufactured the 3D printed structures that give the silhouettes their sculptural volume and innovative lines.

• For the white scale covered dress, it printed all the individual scales, which were subsequently hand sewn onto the garment by the fashion house’s studio.

The components were produced using Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technology, which enables the manufacture of complex parts with a high level of precision. To meet the project's requirements, the 3D expert combined PA12 – a lightweight, durable thermoplastic polymer – with TPU, a pliable material offering greater flexibility and comfort.

This collaboration demonstrates the 3D printer’s ability to support demanding creative projects where technical expertise and artistic expression must go hand in hand.

3D printing is increasingly establishing itself as a genuine tool for artistic creation in the fashion world. Going far beyond mere prototyping, it now allows designers to create novel shapes, complex structures, and volumes that would be difficult to achieve using traditional manufacturing techniques.

Leveraging its expertise in additive manufacturing, Sculpteo supports creators at every stage of their projects – from initial development to final production while addressing the specific demands of the fashion industry: precision, lightness, durability, high quality finishes, and often very tight deadlines.

Beyond the manufacturing process itself, the company’s team advises and assists designers throughout the project, from selecting the most suitable materials to designing the cut outs and assemblies required to create large scale pieces.

While 3D printing was initially developed within industrial sectors, it is now finding a growing place in the worlds of fashion, luxury, and design. Designers view it as an incredible testing ground for imagining unique pieces and pushing the boundaries of creativity.

By supporting designers with diverse styles such as Jean-Paul Gaultier, Rohan Mirza, LVMH, Guerlain, Hermès, and Lemarié, Sculpteo confirms its ability to apply its industrial expertise to demanding creative projects. This trend reflects the evolving use of additive manufacturing and its gradual integration into the creative processes of fashion professionals.

Alexandre d'Orsetti, CEO of Sculpteo, said: ‘Working alongside designers like Romi drives us to constantly rethink our processes: every fashion project presents us with constraints regarding shape, weight, and deadlines that are unique to the field, and this is precisely what fuels our industrial expertise. This collaboration with Jean Paul Gaultier illustrates how innovation and creativity can enrich one another.’

Picture courtesy: © Haute Couture catwalk show AW26–27 Jean Paul Gaultier.