Jean-Paul Gaultier Highest-Paid Fashion designer in the World
- By Carol Kearney
- Paris
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It's been a rough year for the fashion designer, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 73-year-old Jean-Paul Gaultier has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid fashion designers for 2026 with an estimated $46 million in combined earnings.
UPDATE 10/01/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)
Jean-Paul Gaultier tops annual list of highest-paid fashion designers
In 2023 it looked like the fashion designer’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Friday (January 9) that Gaultier is the highest-paid fashion designer in the world, pulling in an astonishing $46 million between December 2024 and December 2025, a nearly $20 million lead over his closest competition.
People With Money’s factors
In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.
The French fashion designer has an estimated net worth of $145 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Gaultier Burger” chain) in Paris, a Football Team (the “Arcueil Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wondergaultier - France), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Jean-Paul) and a fashion line called “Jean-Paul Gaultier Seduction”.
The ranking is significant for many Jean-Paul fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.
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