Karl Does H&M

[Lena]

i'm having a culture shock

Shoppers at H&M can currently find $49.90 pink tweed jackets vaguely reminiscent of the $4,000 Chanel originals, but come November, they’ll be able to buy authentic merchandise designed by Karl Lagerfeld. Speculation has stirred for some time that the Swedish fast-fashion retailer might tap into the talents of famous designers for its collections, à la Target or Top Shop, and now Lagerfeld is the first to admit he has mainstream ambitions up his sleeves.

“I did a small group for November,” the designer said, when asked about his project for H&M at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute gala on Monday night. Then he added, “They’re even putting me in their ads.”

Details of the launch could not be learned at press time, and H&M officials in Paris said they couldn’t comment on Lagerfeld’s project, or the possibility that other designers might be tapped to create collections for the store.

While the prospect of Lagerfeld, who designs the Chanel and Fendi collections in addition to his signature Lagerfeld Gallery, appearing in H&M ads would cast a whole new light on the retailer, it wouldn’t be the first time he’s been asked. Following his successful diet, Lagerfeld was approached by Pepsi last year about appearing in a European campaign for Pepsi Light. In his typical fashion, the designer made light of the prospect of appearing on an H&M billboard, as he’s lately been appearing in the pages of numerous magazine editorials.

Walking out of the Met with Stephen Gan, who featured the designer modeling a Yohji Yamamoto skirt in a recent issue of V Man, he quipped, “After Stephen put me in V Man, they’ll put me in anything.”

from wwd

 

[softgrey]

i had heard a rumour of mard jacobs doing something like this...but not karl...

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Christopher31]

why am i not surprised he would do something like this ? he is such a publicity wh*re.

... for some reason this seems so wrong. But in a sense maybe it would be good for a someone like him to bring good design into the general public. To those who shop at target, topshop, H&M and such.


do you think this will affect chanel's dealings with lagerfield?

 

[tott]

This'll be interesting to see...

 

[Lena]

Originally posted by Christopher31@Apr 28th, 2004 - 6:43 am
why am i not surprised he would do something like this ? he is such a publicity wh*re.

do you think this will affect chanel's dealings with lagerfield?

he is a publicity wh*re, i just wonder, after all these years, he cant let go of his ego and seeing his face everywhere? so boring..

problems with Chanel? but no, its a publicity trick.. as for money, i'm not sure he will be getting that much, i mean this IS H&M ... i think he just does this for the H&M publicity posters.. we are talking uber EGO

 

[gian]

i don't want to think that this action would make karl lagerfeld's image in the industry slightly cheaper...

he's a well established designer anyway..

 

[ultramarine]

Well... I'll admit this seems like an attention-whote thing ... but I like the concept of Lagerfeld doing something for the masses ... Hey! Look what Starck did w/Target!

 

[Meg]

I just want to see what the designs will look like

 

[maarit]

Certainly worth a look!

 

[ignitioned32]

I just hope designers like Karl Largerfeld and Isaac Mizrahi, who are doing both high-end and low end fashion, can still keep a huge distance/difference from the two. In order to give a reason for people, who can pay for high-end labels, not to go to Target or H&M for life. Not only that, but, also to make high-fashion worth existing. Not only in fabric, but, also in design.
I have no problem with Karl doing this, honestly, give some style to masses. Yet there is a fine line between... well, what I was writing about above.

 

[Plumour]

Originally posted by ignitioned32@Apr 28th, 2004 - 3:14 am
I just hope designers like Karl Largerfeld and Isaac Mizrahi, who are doing both high-end and low end fashion, can still keep a huge distance/difference from the two. In order to give a reason for people, who can pay for high-end labels, not to go to Target or H&M for life. Not only that, but, also to make high-fashion worth existing. Not only in fabric, but, also in design.

my thoughts exactly

 

[faust]

Originally posted by ignitioned32@Apr 28th, 2004 - 3:14 am
I just hope designers like Karl Largerfeld and Isaac Mizrahi, who are doing both high-end and low end fashion, can still keep a huge distance/difference from the two. In order to give a reason for people, who can pay for high-end labels, not to go to Target or H&M for life. Not only that, but, also to make high-fashion worth existing. Not only in fabric, but, also in design.
I have no problem with Karl doing this, honestly, give some style to masses. Yet there is a fine line between... well, what I was writing about above.

Mizrahi still doing high fashion? Where did you hear that? Have you actually seen Mizrahi's clothes at Target? It's just Mossimo or Wrangler with Mizrahi tag on it - it's a far from "design" as Walmart from Colette...

Lagerfeld, lol, anything for publicity.

 

[Scott]

Boring. I don't mind the premise but the approach is as you all have said already...just another ego booster. I'm really finding him rather unsavory these days. As for appearing as a model--just the notion I find absurd....he isn't that fantastic nor is he that great looking even skinny. I wish he'd go have binger or something.

 

[Luna]

I saw those jackets I think...

 

[mikeijames]

this is what i find funny...lagerfeld is a member of a particular set of designers that complain to no end about how these high street businesses are eating away at their creative product. i think it's slightly hypocritical for him then to turn around and design for a company like h & m, who, arguably, are one of the strogest offenders.

 

[softgrey]

$$$$...meaning they will sell every single one of those jackets or whatever he designs...$$$$ for h&m....and h&m spends a pretty penny on their adds...i'm sure mr lagerfeld is being well-compensated as well...

 

[tiffany]

I really like the concept, it's just a pity that he's probably just doing it for the publicity.
eager to see the results though

 

[seditionary]

Originally posted by mikeijames@Apr 28th, 2004 - 5:36 pm
this is what i find funny...lagerfeld is a member of a particular set of designers that complain to no end about how these high street businesses are eating away at their creative product. i think it's slightly hypocritical for him then to turn around and design for a company like h & m, who, arguably, are one of the strogest offenders.

well like duh...
its the ol' if u cant beat them join them
if high street rips u off... why not design for the high street n get paid for it...

 

[asta]

so sad. instead of buying a chanel jacket immitation from a line like, say, INC at macys, one can by a chanel immitation by lagerfeld himself.

how unappealing.

maybe he should be like marc jacobs and open his own chanel "gap" chain stores while he is at it.

WHY would someone pay for a chanel jacket for $5000 when you can get a rip off by the chanel designer himself?

 

[mikeijames]

Originally posted by pearsandapples@Apr 28th, 2004 - 2:05 pm
so sad. instead of buying a chanel jacket immitation from a line like, say, INC at macys, one can by a chanel immitation by lagerfeld himself.

how unappealing.

maybe he should be like marc jacobs and open his own chanel "gap" chain stores while he is at it.

WHY would someone pay for a chanel jacket for $5000 when you can get a rip off by the chanel designer himself?

I wonder what the Wertheimer family has to say about this...bc clearly the only people that would get shafted in this arrangement would be the people who own Chanel (paying a designer millions a year just to have him design for a direct competitor)