Paris Fashion Week: Jean Paul Gaultier pays homage to James Bond

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Until he was chased off the runway at the end of the show by a trio of parkour-vaulting ninjas, we never realized how perfect Jean Paul Gaultier would be as a Bond villain. (Sample dialogue: ‘Do you expect me to talk?’ ‘No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to sit in the last row of seats.’)

The designer paid homage to the stylish spy -- and added a dash of androgyny -- with a Fall and Winter 2011 ‘James Blond’ collection. That meant riffing on the tuxedo of course; the first look was a traditional, one-button, peak lapel number accessorized with a bow tie and gun.

But it also meant gray pinstripe wetsuits, suit jackets paired with hot pants and fishnets, shiny black diamond-quilted puffer jackets with fur-lined hoods and double-breasted blazers in metallic gold neoprene with outsize fur collars.

But the chic sunglasses that accessorized many of the looks had less to do with channeling the super-suave secret agent and everything to do with a new eyewear collaboration between the brand and Alain Mikli.

But, unless your day job is being an overly athletic, well-dressed double agent there probably isn’t a whole lot in this collection for you. It hardly mattered though; it turned out to be the season’s most light-hearted spin down the runway to date.

And it’s definitely something to keep in mind next time you’re headed to Gstaad for some fashion-forward, slope-side apres-ski.

-- Adam Tschorn, reporting from Paris