“Thanks to his creative genius, generosity and exceptional intuition, Karl Lagerfeld was ahead of his time, which widely contributed to the house of Chanel’s success throughout the world," said Chanel chief executive officer Alain Wertheimer. "Today, not only have I lost a friend, but we have all lost an extraordinary creative mind to whom I gave carte blanche in the early '80s to reinvent the brand." Wertheimer has entrusted Viard with the creative work for the collections, “so that the legacy of Gabrielle Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld can live on."
One of the industry’s leading creatives and a household name, Lagerfeld has been paramount to the success of two other labels over his lifetime: Fendi and his eponymous brand. As the pace of fashion has fluctuated, he has been a stalwart figure producing over a dozen collections a year – and often photographing his own campaigns – yet never bowing to trends or expectations. “Fashion is about change – and I like change,” Lagerfeld told Vogue international editor Suzy Menkes last year. As for his process, “I do it like I breathe."
“Working with Karl Lagerfeld at Fendi allowed me to catch a glimpse of the secret of the continuous renewal of the House," said Serge Brunschwig, Fendi chairman and CEO. "I profoundly admire Karl’s immense culture, his ability to rejuvenate at all times, to taste all the arts, to not overlook any style, along with a persistent refusal to turn to his past, to look at his work in a mirror. He was restless and his exigent nature would never leave him. The show was just ending that Karl would always say, 'And now number next!' He leaves us an enormous heritage, an inexhaustible source of inspiration to continue. Karl will be immensely missed by myself and all the Fendi people."
The effect of his loss on the industry is immeasurable, and will certainly be felt at Milan Fashion Week, where Fendi is due to present the label's autumn/winter 2019 collection on February 21, and during Paris Fashion Week, where Chanel is scheduled to show on March 5. He told Menkes that his contract at the latter was until 2045: “I have a lifelong [agreement] and I am enchanted. My work conditions are fabulous and don’t exist anywhere else.”
Bruno Pavlovsky, president of fashion at Chanel, commented: “Fashion show after fashion show, collection after collection, Karl Lagerfeld left his mark on the legend of Gabrielle Chanel and the history of the house of Chanel. He steadfastly promoted the talent and expertise of Chanel’s ateliers and Métiers d’Art, allowing this exceptional know-how to shine throughout the world. The greatest tribute we can pay today is to continue to follow the path he traced by – to quote Karl – ‘continuing to embrace the present and invent the future’.”
"I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Karl Lagerfeld," Vogueeditor-in-chief Edward Enninful added. "He has exerted an incredible influence over the fashion industry over the past six decades, and it goes without saying that the world has lost one of the greatest designers in the history of fashion. But it has also lost one of its greatest teachers."
"I first met Karl in the late '90s, at a Chanel party," Enninful continued. "I was working for Franca Sozzani at Italian Vogue, and he was extremely welcoming to me. When I later became fashion director at W magazine, he was very supportive. He continued to offer support and friendship when I took the editor position at British Vogue. I remember sitting with him for an hour or so every season while he was preparing his latest show, and I was always struck by his intelligence and wit. He had a very no-nonsense approach to life. I frequently left our meetings feeling I had learnt so much about art, history, politics and fashion. The world has lost an icon."
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