Jean Paul Gaultier customises Typographia chairs by Tabisso with rust-patterned upholstery
Maison&Objet 2016: French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier has plucked his initials from a collection of alphabet-shaped chairs and used a distressed-looking fabric to upholster them.
![Typographia seating range by Jean Paul Gaultier for Tabisso](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/typographia-chairs-jean-paul-gaultier-tabisso_dezeen_936_3.jpg)
Gaultier, best known for his provocative haute couture, has customised the J, P and G versions from the Typographia seating range by French brand Tabisso.
The special editions are called Nature et Découverte, and have faux-suede covers patterned to looking rust.
![Typographia seating range by Jean Paul Gaultier for Tabisso](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/typographia-chairs-jean-paul-gaultier-tabisso_dezeen_936_0.jpg)
Supplied by Lelièvre, the soft fabric was chosen to contrast with the rough appearance of the green and red oxidising metal.
![Typographia seating range by Jean Paul Gaultier for Tabisso](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/typographia-chairs-jean-paul-gaultier-tabisso_dezeen_936_7.jpg)
Tabisso first launched the Typographia range, designed by its in-house team, in April 2015. The collection includes lounge-chair versions of all Roman letters and numbers, as well as a set of floor lamps modelled on 20 different punctuation marks.
The letters are translated into soft, curved forms that provide both seat and back. Each is supported by a wooden sheet and sits on a metal base.
![Typographia seating range by Jean Paul Gaultier for Tabisso](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/typographia-chairs-jean-paul-gaultier-tabisso_dezeen_936_8.jpg)
Gaultier, 63, is known as the enfant terrible of French fashion. His most recognisable designs include Madonna's infamous cone bra for her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour, and costumes for 1997 sci-fi film The Fifth Element.
![Typographia seating range by Jean Paul Gaultier for Tabisso](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/typographia-chairs-jean-paul-gaultier-tabisso_dezeen_936_6.jpg)
He served as the creative director of fashion house Hermès from 2003 to 2010, and continues to create dramatic haute-couture collections for his eponymous line each season.
![Typographia seating range by Jean Paul Gaultier for Tabisso](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/typographia-chairs-jean-paul-gaultier-tabisso_dezeen_936_5.jpg)
Gaultier is one of many famous names to have designed a plastic shoe for Brazilian brand Melissa, and was appointed creative director of Diet Coke for Europe in 2012.
![Typographia seating range by Jean Paul Gaultier for Tabisso](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/typographia-chairs-jean-paul-gaultier-tabisso_dezeen_936_4.jpg)
His editions of the Typographia chairs were launched at the Maison&Objet trade fair, which took place outside Paris from 22 to 26 January 2016.
![Typographia seating range by Jean Paul Gaultier for Tabisso](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/01/typographia-chairs-jean-paul-gaultier-tabisso_dezeen_936_1.jpg)
Also presented at the event were Front's collection of wallpaper based on cut-out paper shapes and Héctor Serrano's clock for Lexon that features a baby alarm that pops out of its top.