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Jean-Paul Gaultier on Wednesday unleashed a powerful spring-summer 2005 haute couture collection imbued with African spirit, while Lebanon's Elie Saab unveiled a bevy of seductive sea sirens in warm hues.

"I could not live without haute couture. If this collection seems well thought-out and a success to you, that means you've understood how important it is to me," Gaultier said after his tour-de-force display of fashion knowhow.

The French couturier said he drew inspiration from his one trip to Africa, the recent film "Masai: Warriors of the Rain" and the Barbes neighborhood of Paris, where many of the French capital's African immigrants live.

Covered in red body paint and sporting giant afros, Gaultier's models embodied the elegance that sets haute couture apart from ready-to-wear, whether in a simple crimson suit or a naughty, revealing gold braid bustier.