You may think fashion collaborations are hot right now, what with the weird sneaker partnerships being announced every day and brands getting creative. However, German design icon Karl Lagerfeld was a champion of cross-pollination in fashion much before the others. Back in 2004, his eponymous Parisian maison launched a capsule collection with Swedish fast fashion retailer H&M. “He did not view clothes or garments within a silo of couture or high street or fast fashion — it was a medium for all,” says Caroline Lebar, head of communications at the brand, who worked with the German designer for over three decades, until his passing in February this year. She was in Mumbai last month for the launch of their first Indian collaboration with fast fashion label, Cover Story. “What drew us to Cover Story was that at its core, it is very feminine. Our maison’s Parisian aesthetic complements it so well. Designs have been created keeping in mind the Indian body type, and seasonal and cultural preferences. At the same time, they are a reflection of our brand DNA,” says Lebar.
Caroline Lebar
Made for each other?
Maggie Priori, Head of Liaison at Karl Lagerfeld, discovered Cover Story while on a personal holiday in India last year. Manjula Tiwari (above), CEO, Future Style Lab, says, “She liked what she saw, and put the idea of a capsule collection to us. It was an instant affirmative from our end, and an honour to be partnered with such a legendary name.” The creative inputs and the designs were spearheaded by the KL design team in Paris in collaboration with the London-based design team of Cover Story. The limited-edition capsule collection will be available in 19 Cover Story stores (there are 30 across the country) and the website. (Prices range from ₹4,000 to ₹14,000.)
The Karl Lagerfeld White Shirt Project
Lebar on the White Shirt Project.
“We were inspired by Karl’s own words: ‘If you ask me what I’d most like to have invented in fashion, I’d say the white shirt. For me, it is the basis of everything. Everything else comes after.’ So, we sent his iconic white shirt to some of his friends and asked them to write, design or do anything, as a dedication. The result was an amazing exhibition of nearly 50 tribute shirts, each with a unique story that reflects the creator’s personal anecdotes, experiences and memories. Of those, seven shirts were replicated 77 times, to be sold for €777 (approximately ₹ 61,500) per piece. This includes pieces by Kate Moss, Cara Delevigne, Takashi Murakami, Diane Kruger, Sebastien Jondeau (Karl’s personal assistant and ambassador of the brand), Tommy Hilfiger and Carine Roitfeld (style advisor of maison Karl Lagerfeld and also curated the tribute project). The proceeds are being donated to Sauver la Vie [ a charity for medical research at Paris Descartes University], which Karl personally initiated and supported for many years.
The Karligraphy Bag
Graphic tribute
Lagerfeld was also creative director of fashion houses Chanel and Fendi. The latter has recently launched the Karligraphy Bag, featuring a logo designed by Lagerfeld in 1981 — “two romantic yet very graphic double Fs in italics”. It comes in leather, patent leather and exotic options, in both neutral shades of black, brown and nude, and brighter blue, red and yellow. In Fendi boutiques and on fendi.com, at approximately ₹1.40 lakh.
