London ( CNN ) -- It is rare for me to attend a retrospective of someone 's passion , their life 's work , while chatting to that person amid that work . But that 's what happened when I met the friendly and very talkative Jean Paul Gaultier . He gave me 15 minutes of his time , surrounded by some 165 garments stretching throughout his 38 years as a fashion designer . I told his PR person I needed five minutes , she told me Gaultier would chat too much to fit that window . She was correct . `` The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier ; From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk '' is open now and runs through the summer at London 's Barbican center . I started my interview by delicately pointing out retrospectives tend to come when someone is ready to retire , to slow down . I was surprised he agreed . `` Of course I want you to say that . I feel the same , '' the 61-year-old Gaultier exclaimed with a big grin on his face . He stressed he still has to produce clothes for eight shows a year , but that it is time to slow down . From now on , Gaultier told me , he might only do one show a year . `` It 's a lot , a lot , a lot . So , it 's true , I have arrived at a point where I can see the work I have done , you know . And I am still doing , but maybe I will restrain [ it ] a little . '' Gaultier also surprised me by insisting he is not an artist , though he said he can be inspired by art . I would say his tartan punk , his Madonna Blond Ambition Tour costumes , and his chic rabbi garment from the 1993 collection that caused outrage could very much be seen as art . Exhibition curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot agreed . `` When you see the work , some of his dresses , I think it is art , '' Loriot said . Pointing to a leopard skin dress from the Russian collection of 1997 as an example , Loriot added : `` I think you can have the same emotion when you see haute couture as a sculpture or a painting . '' Gaultier told me he did not sell any garments from his first two shows . Then , a piece sold from his third collection in 1976 . At that time , his focus was Brit Punk and some bands would buy his clothes without his knowledge , Gaultier said . He 'd realize only when seeing the video . Of course , that was not the case with the likes of Madonna and Kylie Minogue , who have proudly warn his creations on stage . And paid for them , if Gaultier is to be believed . He insists he never gives his clothes away to gain publicity . `` Honestly , I think I am of the generation that , you know , the people that have the money to pay should pay . '' Gaultier says he 's no businessman , but that sounds like good business practice . `` It was very good to have clothes that sell . For me the purpose was to sell , even if it looked sometime provocative , I did n't do it to show my own fantasy , some fantasy , or to show art . ''
CNN 's Jim Boulden sat down with designer Jean Paul Gaultier to talk to him about his career . Gaultier said he did not sell any garments from his first two fashion shows . `` The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier ; From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk '' opens in London .