Beau and boaters: Lagerfeld cuts enhance tradition
The Guardian Wed 3/11/2009
A good salesman knows his customers' weaknesses. Some might play to them subtly, but Karl Lagerfeld, as the creative director of not one but three labels - Lagerfeld, Fendi and, most famously, Chanel - has no time for such nonsense.
At the Chanel show in Paris yesterday, while journalists from all the other countries had the traditional view of just the runway, the Brits - those celebrity obsessed, Grazia reading, Brits - were placed directly opposite their country's favourite celebrity, Kate Moss.
The tactic was far less delicate than the slimline cuts seen in the show.
The runway was split in half by a white wall, with just one small archway cut out in the middle through which the models could walk and, more importantly, through which the UK press could ogle Moss - as she was sitting on one side with the UK contingent on the other.
The paparazzi were almost more excited, jostling around so violently that part of the catwalk came off before the show had even begun.
Who knew that a model at a
fashion show could cause such excitement?
Lily Allen and Freida Pinto - the latter was previously considered to be the fashion show guest to get for the season - were deemed little more than "civilians" (to use Elizabeth Hurley's word for those who have never appeared in OK!) next to the gloss of Moss.
But back to the clothes. Lagerfeld's extremely successful approach at Chanel has always had a similarly straight-to-the-jugular approach. Ever since he took over as creative director in 1983, he has played with the label's famous five motifs - the quilted bag, the two-tone shoe, the jacket, the camellia, and the boater - so that they have become almost kitsch. Yet he keeps them on the right side of fashionability with the beautiful cut of the clothes.
All of this was in evidence at the show yesterday, which took one of Lagerfeld's favourite inspirations, Beau Brummel, as the icon. Slim, black, dresses were trimmed with oversized white cuffs and collars, while beautifully cut narrow jackets were paired with loose-flared trousers, giving a modern look to the potentially fusty tweed jacket.
As ever, Lagerfeld had fun with the house symbols, making oversized brooches in the shape of the quilted handbag. Models carried giant transparent cases in which they toted Chanel makeup and a handbag. The sweet boaters will surely be Lagerfeld's next accessory success.
But even Lagerfeld has his weaknesses. Number one has to be his fondness for a baby-pink tackiness. One poor model had to wear a giant, baby-pink, jumper with matching tights, leg warmers and shoes, an outfit making her look like Chanel Barbie amidst a sea of chic Cocos.
Then there's Lagerfeld's insistence on including men in the show, even though Chanel (whose outfits included a knitted arrangement) does not do menswear. And lo, the traditional Chanel four male models appeared, marching in nearly matching black suits, making at least one in the audience think of the band Il Divo. The cumbersome collars looked like satellite dishes around their necks, cluttering up the otherwise beautiful suits.
Knocking out simple tweeds for women must get dull for Lagerfeld sometimes, after 26 years. But sometimes a bit of subtlety is no bad thing.
