KARL LAGERFELD’S LEGACY: TWO OF MANY ICONIC SHOWS
Karl Lagerfeld was a legend of the fashion world whose contributions to fashion and the two major houses for which he was a creative director of, will live on. He was an icon ahead of his time whose creativity and genius helped bring the house of Chanel back from near-death with shorter hemlines, the quilted boy bag and glitz to the dated tweed suits. He transformed the label into a billion-dollar industry. In his lustrous career there are many endless achievements and landmark happenings but the essence of what he did has inspired and will continue to inspire generations of fashion lovers and aficionados.
Here’s a look at two of his iconic fashion shows. One from Fendi and one from Chanel.
Fendi’s breath-taking couture show at Rome’s Trevi Fountain
In 2016, Fendi celebrated its 90th anniversary and it was also Karl’s Lagerfeld’s 50th year at the company where he had been creative director for half a century. While it is known that Karl Lagerfeld has no time for nostalgia, this show came at an opportune time with Fendi celebrating three momentous occasions – Fendi’s 90th anniversary, Karl Lagerfeld’s milestone and also the completion of the restoration project of Rome’s Trevi fountain, which was supported financially by the fashion house. The celebration of these events led to the culmination of one of the most beautiful, breath-taking couture shows of our time, where the models walked on water!
The theme of the collection was ‘Legends and Fairy Tales’ and the models looked every bit like fairies in sheer, gauzy numbers walking down a clear runway across the enduring landmark of the Trevi Fountain. Lagerfeld found his inspiration from a book of fairy tales, “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”, illustrated by artist Kay Nielsen and many of the designs resembled the illustrations from the book.
With the Trevi fountain as the backdrop and the crystal clear glass runway beneath the models’ feet, the show was opened by Kendall Jenner wearing a blue coat with a full swing skirt. The models walked down the runway resembling fairy nymphs with forest scenes stitched over their coats. Crocheted dresses, applique flowers and delicate tulle floated down the runway. The show was closed by Bella Hadid wearing a fur cape. The whole show was a testament to Karl’s ingenuity and Fendi’s craftsmanship.
Welcome to Villa Chanel: Chanel S/S 2019 Haute Couture
Chanel’s immersive sets for fashion shows are things of beauty that are long remembered after the designers and models take their walk. Year after year, audiences are awed by the grandeur of the sets and the craftsmanship, especially of the couture collections. In Spring/Summer 2019, whilst there was a blizzard outside in cold Paris, Karl Lagerfeld took audiences back to a warm 18th century Mediterranean villa, replete with landscaped gardens and a large swimming pool in the middle of the Grand Palais. If the onlookers were impressed with the setting, the models walking down the steps in bejewelled garbs amplified the stun factor. This was the power of Karl Lagerfeld’s genius in its full glory. The inspiration for the show was drawn by Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved 18th century; his favourite historical period. The models wore pastel palette décolletage-bearing suiting, the house’s tweed, and gowns which nipped the waist and found volume in bubble hemlines and puff sleeves evoking Marie Antoinette with Pompadour-esque bouffants with heavily smudged eyes and scarlet red lips. This couture show showcased the tour de force workmanship of the Chanel haute couture seamstresses and artisans with hand-painted or iced lace with silicone whorls, shredded tulle and tiered dresses of silk chiffon, bateau necks that looped into origami folds on jackets and coats. The last look was a Chanel bride in a silver, crystal embedded swimsuit with a floaty organza veil. This couture show showcases Chanel’s prowess – its ability to combine creativity with technical brilliance to make the impossible seem possible.
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