Just yesterday, Roman fashion house Fendi invited guests to their Milan location to view the final collection designed by the late Karl Lagerfeld. There was something to be said about the atmosphere upon location, the screams of the fur protesters on the outside in comparison to the somber mood on the inside, it was an aspect that was very Karl Lagerfeld. How regardless of protests, laws or whatever was happening, the iconic designer had a code which he lived by and carried to his grave, which is something to be respected.
Of course, the Fendi Fall Winter 2019 collection was an ode to Karl and his half a century with the house. As an apt sound track of Lou Reed & John Cale’s Small Town played in the background, it set the mood for what was to come, a compilation of Lagerfeld’s signature designs throughout time. Starting from the beginning with his classic silhouettes, the first look made it’s debut as a double breasted suit dress with a poignant white bow around the neck. Throughout the collection , the looks featured a various number of different styles and tailoring, the iconic Fendi logo monogram , designed by Karl himself in his ‘Karliagraphy’ font appeared on coats and cabochon buttons there were also floating bow belts, pleated trouser, asymmetric lapels, tulle bodysuits , pointed collars and laser cut leather outwear. Neutral tones of ivory tulle, cognac and beige contrasted shades of sea green, yellow, tangerine and azure. Each piece holding the common thread of the late designer’s expertise. The iconic Fendi Baguette was also transformed into versions of embossed pillow patent, vegetal leather and a multi-strap utility harness. The entire collection was a celebration of Mr. Lagerfeld as a designer whose inception created a whole new era of designers and whose vision helped to shape the Italian house into the brand that it is today. “The bond between Karl Lagerfeld and Fendi is fashion’s longest love story, one that will continue to touch our lives for years to come. When we called just a few days before the show, his only thoughts were richness and beauty of the collection,” to quote Silvia Venturini.
Karl Lagerfeld, fashion innovator – and psychic? In light of current events, the Chanel fashion show on Tuesday was even more on point than usual. The Boulevard Chanel, constructed down to the very last detail including puddles and panes of glass, was the elegant backdrop to a revolution. Of course, Lagerfeld actually conceived the idea for the latest show many months ago, taking France’s love for la revolution as inspiration.
Distinct parallels can be seen with the infamous manifestations of Mai 68. Back then, the smell of both personal and political freedom was in the air, which Lagerfeld translated into his clothing for his SS15 collection. The catwalk was a riot of colour and print, with 60s and 70s style separates dominating the silhouette. The collection was not tied down to a single colour, pattern nor shape, celebrating our precious liberty and independence to choose. No doubt the feminist movement of Mai 68 would approve.
Fashion’s most famous feline is being celebrating in a new book. Choupette: The Private Life of a High-Flying Fashion Cat gives us an insight into one extrodinary kitty, one used to the finer things in life. Designers such as Goyard and Vuitton have made her dinner service, her handbags, her picnic hampers and the best Parisian chefs create menus for her. Known to travel only by private jet Choupette is a muse, not just for ‘daddy’ (her sapphire blue eyes have provided the inspration for Lagerfeld’s haute couture collections for Chanel).
The book itself is full of observations and precious advice from her vet, Madame Horn, and her housekeeper and maid, Madame Françoise, who keeps her daily diary and so this is Choupette’s complete guide to the art of living. Divided into chapters on diet, beauty, healthcare, fashion tips, secret loves and pet hates, this book also lifts the lid on the jet-setting private life of Mr Karl Lagerfeld too.
Choupette: The Private Life of a High-Flying Fashion Cat is released in September 2014.
When the news broke last December that Kristen Stewart would be the new face of Chanel, some thought it was an odd choice from Karl Lagerfeld. However, this behind the scene video shows the 24-year-old actress is a perfect fit for his ‘Romantic Western’ collection. Shot by Lagerfeld himself, the ad campaign sees Stewart in pieces from the Texas-inspired 2013/14 Chanel’s Métiers d’Art collection that debuted in Dallas. Watch the video below.
KARL LAGERFELD’s first store in the UK has opened on Regent Street. The new concept shopping destination combines the brand’s luxury collections with an iconic design aesthetic and cutting-edge technology (like photo booths in the fitting room – selfie to your heart’s content!). The 250 sq-m flagship is the biggest KARL LAGERFELD store in Europe and will be home to the men and women’s ready-to-wear collections as well as accessories, handbags, leather goods, watches, eyewear, scarves and footwear.
Pier Paolo Righi, CEO of KARL LAGERFELD said. “London is one of the world’s leading cities when it comes to retail and this location offers a unique brand mix. Our London presence will be a fantastic representation of our brand’s aesthetic, and it showcases our cool, accessible-luxe collections in a cutting-edge environment.”
KARL LAGERFELD is open at at 145-147 Regent Street now.
Karl Lagerfeld’s latest directorial endeavour stars Keira Knightley in the role of Coco Chanel.
Once Upon A Time, also starring Lindsey Wixson, Stella Tennant and Tallulah Harlech, traces back to the opening of Chanel’s first store in Deauville in 1913.
Revel in black and white film nostalgia and period costumes by watching the film below.
chanel.com
This month sees the launch of the Karl Lagerfeld’s first brand store. Carrying ready-to-wear and accessories for both men and women from the house of Karl, the concept store also has limited items curated by the man himself such as photography and design books, but the main attraction is centred around an elaborate digital experience, a virtual opportunity to connect with Karl Lagerfeld.
A digital guestbook displays his collections from the past and present and lists the latest Karl news. A digital photo-booth allows you to capture your look in the fitting room, apply many Karl related filters (the Valencia just won’t cut it here) and then with the built in touch screen share the image to your social media channel of choice. And Karl saw no need for an outdated checkout, all purchases will be made on a mobile device. Indeed, queues would be very tacky in this store, situated in the heart of St Germain des Près, Paris. “For me, the 7th arrondissement is the centre of the world, I couldn’t imagine starting with a shop anywhere else,” says Lagerfeld. We wouldn’t want it any other way.
The S/S 13 season was eventful to say the least: Twitter feuds between Hedi Slimane and NY Times fashion critic Cathy Horn, Ready To Wear debuts at the houses of Saint Laurent and Dior, and between it all, some wonderfully accomplished collections.
Twin looks back at which collections made us say je l’adore.
Chanel
Presented in a setting of solar panels and wind farms instead of a crystal landscape, Karl Lagerfeld went a bit more down to earth this S/S 13 season. A-lines, bolero jackets and rounded silhouettes with floral embroidery in every colour under the sun were topped off with oversized pearl necklaces. Like its staging, the collection was the perfect mix of technological linearity and natural materials and forms.
Christian Dior
Raf Simons may have already shown us his haute couture offerings for the house of Dior, but nonetheless there was still a great anticipation for what the Belgian designer would bring to the Ready To Wear table. The answer? Expert tailoring mixed with modern femininity. Pleated office attire was given metallic panels, sequined evening gowns a sheer overlay and nude shift dresses an exposed neon lining. With so much love for detail, it’s hard not to give Simons a congratulatory thumbs up for his efforts.
Comme des Garcons
In fabrics of toile and velvet, Rei Kawakubo crushed, sculpted and draped an intriguingly beautiful collection. Save for a flash of royal purple or fire red, the collection kept mostly to CDG signature colours of black and white. While the surrealist-style crowns designed in collaboration with artist Graham Hudson and linear white make-up may have given the models an otherworldly look, there was still something beautifully fragile about the body — and person — in these clothes. As with all things Kawakubo, this collection is definitely worth a second look.
Don’t think the collaborations were just left to the fashion industry — collections between beauty brands and creative visionaries are now popping up left, right and centre. Twin rounds up our favourite new arrivals in the cosmetics world…
M.A.C Illustrated
These days, the exterior appearance of your bag is just as, if not more important, than what’s inside. So why resort to flinging your favourite lipstick, mascara and eyeshadow into a dingy, dirty and outdated old case? In a bid to rescue us from boring cosmetics carriers, M.A.C teamed up with illustrators Julie Verhoeven, Francois Berthoud and Nikki Farquharsson for a range of bags bearing each artist’s signature stylings, be it art deco, graphic or abstract. Mission accomplished.
In the past, Lagerfeld has been known to use Shu Uemura’s eyeshadows to colour in his fashion sketches. Now, unstoppable Karl teamed up with the Japanese brand for a 17-piece collection of make-up, false eylashes and of course, the brand’s trademark, an eyelash curler. All emblazoned with the Karl-ified mascot donning a Rei Kawakubo-esque haircut and the Uncle’s signature high collar and tie, its a kooky take on Uemura’s high-quality products.
NARS took Warhol’s love of glitz, glamour and decadence as a starting point for a Swinging Sixties bright cosmetics collection. The brand even extended their love for all things Andy to a recreation of his self-portraits and flower paintings in their eyeshadow palettes. Instead of simply slapping a name onto their products, NARS clearly made a genuine dedication to the artist with this project. The ode may solely consist of shimmer sparkles and neon brights, but Warhol wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
narscosmetics.com
M.A.C X Carine Roitfeld
The former editor of Vogue always had her laid-in smokey eye makeup down to pat, so a collaboration between the stylish image maker and a company renowned for their high-quality eye shadows was only a stone’s throw away anyhow. Expect shadow and blush palettes to recreate smouldering Roitfeld eyes and defined cheekbones, vampy red nail varnishes and to top it all off with a seductive French pout, barely-there nude lipsticks.
With attitude by the bucketful and insanely catchy songs like 212, Azealia Banks has undoubtedly left her mark on the music industry. It looks like she is no less short of conquering the world of fashion as well.
Already counting the likes of Karl Lagerfeld as fan and having performed at Chanel’s pop up store party in Tokyo, the rap star can now include the house of Alexander Wang on her list of fashion collaborations. For the new Fall 2012 T by Alexander Wang campaign video directed by Daniel Jackson and styled by Alastair McKimm, the 21-year-old performs her latest song Van Vogue whilst decked out in the brand’s casually cool threads.
It seems that the world can’t get enough of Azealia Banks right now and with projects and tunes like this, it’s easy to see why.
This year’s Autumn/Winter 2012 haute couture shows were another testament to signature style. Be it the modern romance of Valentino’s Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli or Giambattista Valli’s ever-enticing plays on volume and silhouettes, the one unifying factor throughout every collection was a representation of each brand’s true essence, underlined by highly-refined tailoring and draping.
Twin selects our favourite personal visions of the season…
Bouchra Jarrar
Couture cool is Jarrar’s calling card and although those expecting overtly dramatic ball gowns or extravagant embellishments from couture may be disappointed, her softly draped tunic dresses and forties-esque trench coat top and A-line, knife-pleated skirt combinations add a modern yet elegant touch to the couture circuit. As they say, sometimes less is more.
Chanel
This season Karl Lagerfeld saw it as his mission to put a new spin on vintage. While the collection managed to revamp classics such as the tweed suit, tea dresses and peter pan collars in a colour palette that included soft shades such as petal rose and cream, its true appeal was in the unmatchable craftsmanship of the house of Chanel. Hundred upon hundreds of hand-sewn sequins and a breathtaking feather, lace and tulle finale dress were just two examples that further solidified the label’s spot at the top of couture pyramid.
Dior
Couture week undoubtedly belonged to Raf Simons. Although he might have not been the most obvious successor to Galliano’s theatrical showings, the Belgian designer’s minimalist aesthetic has proved the perfect partner to Christian Dior’s original elegant and strongly feminine designs. Peplum waist tops and dresses paired with straight cut trousers, not to mention the two-sided evening gowns with crystal embellishments put a refreshingly modern spin on New Look-esque silhouettes.
Gambattista Valli
Nymph creatures and a fairytale narrative were woven into every fibre of Valli’s designs. Rich emerald greens and ruby garnet florals were printed on high-necked ruffled cocktail dresses and evening gowns cinched in at the waist with gold ivy belts. With a beautiful play of volume and colour, the collection was an all-round dream.
Givenchy
Riccardo Tisci’s tribal warrior was equipped with face-obscuring sunglasses and menacing dogs, but that didn’t keep the collection from being feminine and alluring, thanks to halter necklines and iridescent ombre fringing. In short, it was a well-balanced mixture of elegance, urbanism and the beauty of nature.
Maison Martin Margiela
In the light of the brand’s upcoming collaboration with high street retailer H&M, some fear that the house of Margiela will succumb to commercialism. However this collection was a piece of avant-garde artistry. From the crystal face masks to the dynamic collages of fabric and textures. Refreshing and original, it proved why Maison Martin Margiela more than deserves a permanent spot on the haute couture schedule.
Valentino
Midnight blue dresses, fully-sequined, brocade printed and embroidered cocktail pieces, as well as floor-length pleated chiffon gowns made this collection one of typical Valentino glamour, whilst canary yellow, magenta and blood red added rich pops of colour. In our eyes, Chiuri and Piccioli can do no wrong.
Forget the LBD — as Chanel proves with its exhibition opening in New York today, it’s all about the LBJ. The show is the latest endeavour in the brand’s The Little Black Jacket: CHANEL’s classic revisited by Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld series, which debuted in Tokyo earlier this year with the release of a 113 image strong hardcover book.
Accompanying the photography exhibit including portraits of Elle Fanning, Linda Evangelista, Tilda Swinton and Freja Beha Erichsen, all captured through Lagerfeld’s lens, is an online incarnation of the project.
The digital platform allows not only a chance to go behind the scenes of the extensive photo shoot, but also to see how the piece in question is handcrafted in Chanel’s ateliers. Just like the fashion house’s trademark piece, it’s the perfect fusion of an iconic classic with striking modernity. The Little Black Jacket: CHANEL’s classic revisited by Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld is on display at 18 Wooster Street, New York, until June 15.
One jacket, a multitude of stars. That’s the premise behind Chanel’s new Little Black Jacket exhibition at Toyko’s G-building in Aoyama. Featuring over a hundred beautiful and talented faces from the fashion jet set, styling out one timeless Chanel tweed jacket in their individual way, this is about icons wearing an icon.
The exhibition is an exciting preview for Chanel’s new book The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited by Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld which hits bookstores this autumn. While the images are chic in the Chanel way its adoring public demands, the project is a testament to the star pulling power of the fashion house and the endurance of great fashion design.
Featuring Chanel perennials like Laetitia Casta to striking characters such as jeweller and actor Waris Ahluwalia this is more than just an ode to feminine elegance, it’s a document of modern style culture right now.
Little Black Jacket is at G-building, Tokyo until 15 April 2012 chanel.com
To many, Paris is the city of love. More importantly however, it is the city of fashion, which could not have been made more clear than through the variety of awe-inspiring runway shows this A/W 12 season. Twin recounts our favourite collections of Paris Fashion Week….
Alexander McQueen
Oversized visor/sunglass hybrids, shaggy fur trimming and heeless, leather strap boots were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to Sarah Burton’s extraordinary A/W 12 collection for Alexander McQueen. As always, there was no shortage of craftsmanship and detailing. Victorian ruffle collars, rolled pleating, laser leather cutouts and delicate floral appliques and embroidery heightened the luxury of the alpine white, pale pink, rose lavender and fuchsia pieces.
Despite the collection’s at times very voluminous silhouettes, silver waist-cinching belts and shorter hemlines still let the sensual side of the McQueen woman shine through. With gravity-defying silk chiffon standing away from the body like a sea anemone, intricately reworked velvet bearing floral shapes and marabou feather hems, Burton even managed to add a touch of earth to an otherwordly collection.
Celine
Phoebe Philo’s vision of the Celine woman has always been a modern and streamlined one. This season, she added a dash of athleticism and bold colours to that equation.
The designer’s signature colour palette of black and white was amped up through the addition of azure blue, fuchsia, rose pink, aubergine and vermilion red, while oversized wool coats, double piping on front-pleated trousers and striped crew neck jumpers gave the collection a more casual feel. But in fabrics such as supple leather and fur, each piece still had that unmistakable touch of Celine luxury.
Chalayan
In this collection, intricate prints resembled the hasty stroke of a painter’s brush, and paint Hussein Chalayan did with colours including crimson, teal, camel, tenné, emerald, fluorescent orange and green.
The silhouettes were streamlined in the form of oversized single-button coats, tunics and shift dresses, but always good for the unexpected detail, he added large cutouts, as well as rectangular bands in contrast collars to cinch in pieces at the waist and bust, not to mention reflective silver lamé panelling, trousers and brogues. Whether artistic or futuristic, every piece bore the Chalayan signature.
Chanel
Considering the high value that Karl Lagerfeld has in the fashion industry, it was only a matter of time before he produced a collection inspired by precious stones. If the set design of oversize crystals jutting out of the ground wasn’t hint enough, this season’s Chanel colour palette was all about the emerald greens, amethyst purples, ruby reds, golds, antique silvers and sapphire blues.
Whether interwoven with the house’s signature tweed or sewn into the sleeves, pockets and breast of a flared wool coat dress, Lagerfeld’s chromatic approach this season only heightened the luxury of the gemstone, feather and lace-crafted pieces. Their point of inspiration may date back to the beginning of time, but thanks to a mixture of architecturally sculpted and relaxed silhouettes, every look was pure modernity. Topped off with crystal eyebrows and Perspex-heeled pumps, this collection proved (once again) why Coco and Karl are the perfect match.
Stella McCartney
If anyone still associated the name Stella McCartney with The Beatles before, then this collection broke that bond once and for all. Working with colours of black, cyan, hot pink, charcoal, dark brown and white, it was a milestone in her journey from famous daughter to design star in her own right.
McCartney’s time at Saville Row made its mark in the tailoring of padded hips, oversized, rectangular cuts, and rounded shoulders, giving every piece a strong sense of structuring while offsetting the more feminine elements such as foliage embroidery and curve-tracing colour blocking. Her tribute to English style didn’t stop there: cozy waffle knit cardigans and dresses worn over Oxford button-downs, as well as A-line skirts in fabrics such as tweed, wool, mohair, crepe paid tribute to McCartney’s heritage. Balance being one of her strong suits, hip-slung, wide-legged trousers, streamlined clutchs, and contrast-coloured pumps and ankle boots gave everything an urban twist.
Few men possess the kind of personal style that can start a female fashion frenzy. But Karl Lagerfeld, the world knows, is no ordinary gentleman. Last Wednesday his Net-A-Porter range, Karl, sparked a global rush for cutaway leather gloves and stiff necked white collars. And thanks to some innovative use of augmented reality pop-up windows, shopping online has never felt so communal. With windows in New York, Paris, Sydney, Berlin and of course Net-A-Porter’s hometown London, this was a truly Twenty-first century collaboration.
While many of the key items sold out in a flash, there are still many covetable pieces, sleeveless biker vests and gladiator sandals for two, that are just a few clicks away from landing on your doormat. If you haven’t already, it’s time to get online with Karl.
Yesterday marked the end of the Spring/Summer 2012 couture shows. The proverbial creme de la creme of fashion, only allowed to show during this three-day short Fashion Week through a Chambre Syndicale De La Haute Couture membership – haute couture doesn’t mean high dressmaking in French for nothing – showed a degree of craftsmanship and attention to detail all across the fashion spectrum.
Twin recounts our haute couture highlights from Paris…
Alexis Mabille
Proving that haute couture doesn’t have to keep to a demure palette, Mabille punched up the colour factor with his neon designs. Inspired by photographs of Lisa Fonssagrives and Christy Turlington, the creations in fabrics ranging from metallic lame to guipure lace proved that even when it comes to couture, girls just want to have fun.
Bouchra Jarrar
Working with crepe de soie, fur collars and wide-legged tailored trousers, Jarrar’s collection was a take on casual luxe. A bit of tomboy and a dash of urban sophisticate resulted in a whole lot of effortless cool.
Chanel
No couture week is complete without Karl Lagerfeld’s latest mind musings. Taking the double Cs to a more ethereal place this time around (airplane runway, anyone?) resulted in a collection of beautifully hand-embellished pieces in icy blues, ivories and midnight blacks.
Elie Saab
Elie Saab is the go-to designer for anything feminine and delicate, and this season was no exception. Lace and crystal embroidery on nude, pastel pink and pale lemon high-waisted dresses and A-line skirts made being a woman that bit more enticing.
Giambattista Valli
It may only be Valli’s second showing on the haute couture circuit, but the Italian designer proves that he can hold his own among fashion’s heavyweights. With a plethora of expertly tailored feather, lace and embroidered pieces, he’s as couture as they come.
Jean Paul Gaultier
In a beehive and winged eyeliner tribute to Amy Winehouse, Gaultier sent out a collection that was every bit as eccentric and nonchalant as the late singer herself. Encompassing pieces such as back to black shirt-tail hem skirts, leather varsity jackets and silk kimono coats tied at the waist, Winehouse probably wouldn’t have wanted her couture any other way.
Maison Martin Margiela Artisanal
Leave it to the house of Margiela to put an unconventional spin on couture. Rope, braided bracelets and hundreds of pearlescent buttons were turned into knee-length trench coats, colourful micro dresses, and slouchy blazer and pegged trouser combos, proving that recycled fashion doesn’t have to be drab.
Valentino
It has only taken a few seasons for Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri to fully establish their trademark of girlish and graceful designs at Valentino. Marking a sweet end to haute couture fashion week, this collection of chiffon, lace and tulle in fine floral prints had a glamourised Charlotte Brontë/Jane Austen novel feel to it. Piccioli and Chiuri clearly have a talent for capturing fashion daydreams.
We love Alice Dellal for her irreverent beauty and punk attitude and it seems Karl Lagerfeld is a fan too. Chanel have now confirmed that the model, and Thrush Metal drummer, will be the new face of their Boy Chanel handbag collection. With Chanel declaring the Boy Chanel collection will strive to subvert conformist notions of femininity, it’s clear why Alice is the perfect muse.
The campaign has been styled and shot my Karl himself and at the moment all we’re getting is a sneak peek within the design house’s rococo walls, but we can’t wait to see what edge Alice brings to a Chanel skirt-suit.
The Boy Chanel campaign will be revealed in March 2012. chanel.com
Noomi Rapace as tattooed hacker Lisbeth Salander became an instant Twin heroine. With her dyed black crop and piercings, Rapace’s goth-punk look in the original Swedish film version of best-seller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was a refreshing fashion inspiration. And so it seems Salander has been for Swedish fashion giants H&M. Having collaborated since 2004 with a host of designers and fashion houses such as Karl Lagerfeldand Lanvin, H&M have found an unlikely muse in Lisbeth Salander.
To celebrate David Fincher’s American film-remake, this time starring actress Rooney Mara, H&M have asked the film’s costume designer Trish Summerville to create a line inspired by The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. “Salander’s look is very real and very lived in, with pieces that her character has worn for a long time, like her jackets that act as her armour to shield her from the world,” says Summerville.
Going on the single released image as yet, the 30-piece collection has a dark urban feel featuring leather jackets and trousers, torn jeans and slouchy hoodies in industrial shades of black, grey and worn white. With H&M exploring their dark-side, we already feel sucked in.
The collection will debut exclusively at Colette in Paris on November 28, before being made available on December 14 at 180 H&M stores around the world.
Twitter
Tumblr
YouTube
Facebook
Instagram
