Jean Paul Gaultier’s 1992 concept art offers a glimpse of an early version of The Fifth Element: Ruby Rhod as imagined for Prince, before Chris Tucker played the part in the 1997 film. Gaultier later described the proposed costume as netting, with long body hair showing through and padding at the rear. It is a design idea from the film’s development—not a costume Prince wore on screen, or Tucker’s finished-film look.
What did Prince’s proposed Ruby Rhod look like?
The surviving design is identified by the Fashion Institute of Technology’s Fashion History Timeline as Jean Paul Gaultier’s “Concept art for Ruby Rhod, 1992.” In a later account reported by French magazine Première, Gaultier described a netted outfit that would let long body hair pass through, with a padded rear. The description gives a vivid sense of the joke and provocation behind the proposal, but it does not establish every detail of a complete wardrobe.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Fifth Element - 4K + Blu-ray + Digital | $21.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
The Fifth Element | $9.55 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
The Fifth Element (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray) | $37.08 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![The Fifth Element [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51+6xCv6KeL._SL160_.jpg)
|
The Fifth Element [Blu-ray] | $22.88 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
The Fifth Element - Blu-ray | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The sketch belongs to an early stage of the film’s development. It should not be confused with a production still, a finished costume, or evidence that Prince wore the design.
Was Prince originally going to play Ruby Rhod?
Yes. FIT’s timeline says Prince was intended for the role in the film’s initial casting, before the project proceeded with Milla Jovovich, Bruce Willis and Chris Tucker. Tucker played Ruby Rhod in the released film.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
#1 Best Overall
- Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, and Gary Oldman star in acclaimed director Luc Besson's outrageous sci-fi adventure, an extravagantly styled tale of good against evil set in an unbelievable twenty-third century world.
Gaultier recalled the early drawings in a 2017 Vogue interview: “I had done my drawings [but] nothing came of it—except a very funny meeting with Prince—and I had forgotten about it.” His recollection supports the existence of an early design process, but not a full set of costumes or a completed on-screen interpretation.
Why did Prince leave the project?
The accounts differ, so the reason should be attributed rather than stated as settled fact. Première reports Gaultier’s account that director Luc Besson later told him Prince had found the original designs too effeminate. The same article says Besson publicly gave scheduling reasons for Prince’s departure. The available accounts do not establish Prince’s own first-person explanation.
Rank #2
- Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, and Gary Oldman star in acclaimed director Luc Besson's outrageous sci-fi adventure, an extravagantly styled tale of good against evil set in an unbelievable twenty-third century world.
How the concept differs from Ruby Rhod in the finished film
| Aspect | Prince-era concept | Released film |
|---|---|---|
| Production stage | Early concept art dated 1992 by FIT’s Fashion History Timeline. | The 1997 film, after the project proceeded with a different cast. |
| Performer | Prince was attached to the role in the initial casting, according to FIT. | Chris Tucker played Ruby Rhod. |
| Documented costume detail | Gaultier’s account, reported by Première, describes netting, visible long body hair and a padded rear. | FIT characterizes the released Ruby Rhod looks as combining masculine- and feminine-coded motifs. |
FIT’s analysis of the finished-film costumes applies to Tucker’s Ruby Rhod, not automatically to the Prince concept sketch. The two are related through Gaultier and the character, but they document different stages and should not be treated as interchangeable designs.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to find more production art
Titan Books lists The Fifth Element: A Visual Retrospective as a 270-page hardback published September 15, 2026. The publisher describes it as including photography, concept art, blueprints, props, costumes, the original script and production anecdotes. Its listing does not confirm that the specific Prince-era Ruby Rhod sketch appears in the book.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- The Fifth Element
Rank #4
- Bluray
- FIT Fashion History Timeline: The Fifth Element
- Première: How Prince almost played Ruby Rhod
- Vogue: Jean Paul Gaultier on The Fifth Element
- Titan Books: The Fifth Element: A Visual Retrospective
- Penguin Random House Comics Retail listing
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
