Karl Lagerfeld to Launch "Karl" Line in January 2012

[tarsha]

Karl Lagerfeld‘s resume has to be into its second bound edition by now, and it’s going to grow a lot more over the next two years. The 78-year-old Chanel designer is launching an eponymous “masstige” line which will be primarily available online, as well as re-launching a higher end collection, WWD is reporting.

The more affordable line, called Karl, will hit Net-a-Porter on January 25, and then Karl’s website, karllagerfeld.com, on February 28. It’s a 100-piece collection which the designer described as “rock” and “street” and is comprised of lots of denim and leather. While denim and leather might seemed aimed at a younger demo, Karl told WWD the collection was “ageless”–and if there’s anyone who understands ageless, it’s him. Prices will range from $95 to $450, so will sit comfortably in that sweet “contemporary” price point. Expect tons of accessories (which the company expects to account for half its revenues) and a new logo: Lagerfeld’s sunglasses-and-ponytail profile, embedded into the “K.” (Will it be the new interlocking C’s and herald the return to logo-mania? We wouldn’t be a bit surprised.)

There will be complete Lagerfeld saturation to support the Karl line:

-Pop-up shops in major cities, including Paris
-Lagerfeld “experience” stores which will mix his Karl line and a new high-end line, as well as all his other interests, like books.
-Social media marketing
-A brand book
-Revamped website
-Men’s wear will hit in fall 2012

As if this all wasn’t enough, Lagerfeld is also getting back into the high-end arena under his own name. He stopped showing his Karl Lagerfeld collection back in September 2010, but he’ll be hitting Paris again with a new designer line called, appropriately enough, Karl Lagerfeld Paris. It will be available mostly in Europe, Russia, Asia and the Middle East, but will hit select stores here in the US. Prices will range from $411 to $3,425, making it an “affordable designer” line, a descriptor that didn’t sit well with Lagerfeld. He told WWD, “I don’t work in that direction. I just want not too expensive clothes that people may like and perhaps want to wear.” He noted that his investors have tossed enough money at him that he could assemble teams in Paris, Amsterdam, and New York.

fashionista

 

[TheeMigs]

Isn't this the umpteenth time hes launched this kinda line before? Hope it bodes well for him! Results could be different with Net-A-Porter attached to the project.

 

[Chanelcouture09]

He has done this before, he did K Karl Lagerfeld that was also stocked at Net-a-porter at a similar price bracket aimed at a younger market but sold very poorly.
His lack of stores hasn't exactly helped his brand and he is about a decade behind the whole online store trend, considering he is the master of all things technological.

 

[Chanelcouture09]

Also : http://www.net-a-porter.com/karl

'Karl is Coming' .

 

[TheeMigs]

He has done this before, he did K Karl Lagerfeld that was also stocked at Net-a-porter at a similar price bracket aimed at a younger market but sold very poorly.
His lack of stores hasn't exactly helped his brand and he is about a decade behind the whole online store trend, considering he is the master of all things technological.

Didn't he partner with Tommy Hilfiger for the K Karl Lagerfeld line? I remember the "collection" he did with Neimans and it wasn't necessarily well received. Nor do I think the Macy's venture was all that great (could be wrong). Let's see what happens...

 

[Chanelcouture09]

^I thought Tommy Hilfiger owned a stake in the Karl Lagerfeld brand ?

ETA : he must of sold it or most of his stake, reading my post below.

2004, Tommy Hilfiger acquired the trademarks of Karl Lagerfeld for an undisclosed amount. The deal included Lagerfeld Galleries and other Lagerfeld collections, with the designer staying on as creative director. "In choosing a partner to expand my business, I was looking for a company that has built a business on a global basis and possesses the infrastructure and resources to make our vision of the Lagerfeld brand become a reality," Lagerfeld said.

*Vogue.co.uk

 

[Chanelcouture09]

Karl Lagerfeld, the creative force behind Chanel for nearly 30 years, is launching a fashion brand under his own name with backing from private equity firm Apax in a bid to tap into the Internet retail market.

The legendary designer in January will start selling online a 'rock chic' brand called Karl, with items priced in the 60 to 300 euro range.

The products will be sold exclusively for the first month through net-a-porter, the online fashion retail unit of Swiss luxury group Richemont, then on a dedicated website and starting in the spring through a few selected retailers.

The move provides further evidence the fashion world is embracing the Internet as an effective medium to sell clothes, communicate with customers and cultivate image.

Consultancy Bain & Co said in a report last week it expected online luxury sales to rise 25 percent in 2011, while the sector's sales globally are forecast to rise 13 percent at constant exchange rates.

Some fashion brands, particularly high-end ones such as Louis Vuitton, have long been reluctant to sell actively online, arguing that Web-based boutiques did not offer the same service and luxury atmosphere as bricks-and-mortar outlets.

Lagerfeld, 78, is also planning to launch in autumn 2012 a more upmarket label called "Karl Lagerfeld Paris," sold in multi-brand and department stores, with items priced between 300 and 2,000 euros.

The collections will be distributed and produced under license by Italy's Ittierre, which also holds licenses from Pierre Balmain, Galliano, Costume National and Gianfranco Ferre.

The fashion venture called Karl Lagerfeld BV, controlled by Apax through a majority stake, sees the more accessible line "Karl" as the main engine of growth, its head said.

"We would be disappointed if we did not multiply by four or five our sales within five years," Pier Paolo Righi, chief executive of Karl Lagerfeld BV, told Reuters on Monday.

Financial details were not provided. Righi would only say that Apax's investment in the venture was "substantial."

Righi joined Karl Lagerfeld BV in August from Tommy Hilfiger which Apax sold to Philips-Van Heusen last year for 2.2 billion euros.

In addition to designing one-off collections for retailers such as H&M and most recently for the French luxury lighter and pen maker ST Dupont, Lagerfeld is also the creative director of women's ready-to-wear for Fendi, owned by LVMH.

Today, the Karl Lagerfeld brand generates more than 100 million euros ($139 million) through various licensing and co-branding deals, Righi said.

(Reporting by Astrid Wendlandt; Editing by Christian Plumb and Will Waterman)

*Reuters

 

[thejarc]

He also did KL by Karl Lagerfeld which was sold in Germany and Asia, a Karl Lagerfeld line in the 90s (which failed after a while), Lagerfeld Gallery (which was renamed as Karl Lagerfeld later, which was with Hilfiger I think) and of course all of those co-branding deals, Macys, Coca Cola and lots of stuff I probably don't know about.

His own lines doesn't really seem that successful. But 100M is an impressive number.

 

[Chanelcouture09]

I think his Licensing deals make up most of it, he's also done Fragrances, some Fragrances i've never seen in my life, especially his recent one that i never saw come over to England, 'Kapsule'.

 

[Squizree]

As if what he is doing at Chanel isn't boring and silly enough...

 

[masquerade]

how many times has he tried this and failed already? just stick with chanel and fendi and your million side jobs.

 

[LagerfeldBoy]

^sad, but true.
On the bright side, I'm glad he's bringing back his own main line. I truly missed it during these past couple of fashion weeks.

 

[Street_a_Licious]

his last few Lagerfeld collection were actually rather worthwhile

 

[lucy92]

I think his Licensing deals make up most of it, he's also done Fragrances, some Fragrances i've never seen in my life, especially his recent one that i never saw come over to England, 'Kapsule'.

"Kapsule" never came to the US either. he had one big fragrance in the 90's here called "sun moon stars". it sold really well. i dont remember any of this fragrances released here after "sun moon stars" come to think of it.

this new collection sounds exactly k karl lagerfeld line.

 

[tarsha]

And here's the first look at the collection





fashionologie

 

[glossypages]

First Looks: More Karl Lagerfeld for Net-a-Porter Photos

Three new images of Karl Lagerfeld's forthcoming line, Karl, have been released by Net-a-Porter.com today, along with a lengthy description of the 70-piece collection.
Here's a condensed version of the press release:
The predominant colors are black, white, gray, silver, burgundy and pink.
Some pieces have vinyl sleeves.
Athletics-inspired shorts feature rubber patches stamped with Karl's logo at the waist, "reminiscent of a boxer's belt."
A pair of heavy cotton shorts have zippers on the thigh.
Expect lots of tuxedo elements, like bib-front shirts and black wool pants with tuxedo stripes.
T-shirt dresses will have "plunging zippered necklines."
Materials include metallic silk, cotton jersey, and, on skirts particularly, leather and sequins.
There will, of course, be lots of detachable collars.
As previously reported, the prices will range from $50 for a canvas bag embellished with a portrait of Karl to over $1,000 for some of the leather pieces; it hits Net-a-Porter on January 25.

from the cut (nymag's fashion blog)

 

[ShesElectric]

^I thought Tommy Hilfiger owned a stake in the Karl Lagerfeld brand ?

ETA : he must of sold it or most of his stake, reading my post below.


*Vogue.co.uk

"In choosing a partner to expand my business, I was looking for a company that has built a business on a global basis and possesses the infrastructure and resources to make our vision of the Lagerfeld brand become a reality," Lagerfeld said."

Yes, and naturally Tommy Hilfiger comes to mind.

 

[ShesElectric]

As if what he is doing at Chanel isn't boring and silly enough...

I agree. Lagerfeld's style is one that I love but he tries so hard to confine it to the Chanel brand's natural limits that it's become mundane. Karl on his own knows no bounds, but in how many variations can you mix a signature B&W Karl collection with a little pearl, tweed and lace and call it Chanel?

 

[Crying Diamonds]

That 'Karl' logo with the profile silhouette is so bad.
Karl's mainline used to be one of fashion week's highlights for me, but I'm not enjoying what I'm seeing so far - it's being majorly hyped.

 

[softgrey]

so- it launched today...
i guess no one here is excited about it?!...

......