After Phoebe Philo’s tribal brush strokes at Celine, we were already in the art market for Spring. Then came Karl Lagerfeld’s gallery installation at the Grand Palais; the bare white walls, recess spot lighting, faux air ducts…you could also feel the hum of air-conditioning. Welcome to the Kaiser’s answer to Frieze. It seems he spent the long hot summer sketching away at artworks, as well as looks, later putting the Chanel studio into overdrive with his creativity.
On the runway, there were influences from Pollock to Koons, his kaleidoscopic colour palette sweeping over cocktail dresses, while grey denim, edged with ‘tailor’s chalk’ effects, gave the feeling of ripped canvas. That Chanel iceberg may have melted away, but here’s hoping they open up their own set museum for this grandiose outing.
