Page 160 - Philippine Tatler (April 2019)
P. 160
personal struggles, addictions and weaknesses importance, unlike Yves Saint Laurent (his
were tragically human. This reflects a life led arch-rival), Valentino Garavani, Miuccia Prada
with monastic chastity despite his Swiss Guard or even Calvin Klein. The various iterations of
of male models and bodyguard-chauffeurs. the Karl Lagerfeld label always felt boutique,
Even his affection for his godson, the 11-year- and secondary to the labels he laboured under
old child model Hudson Kroenig, is only such as Chanel and Fendi. Throughout his
slightly creepy; and his avowed desire to marry career, he had also worked for Pierre Balmain
his cat, Choupette, while camp, just makes him and Jean Patou, and even Max Mara, always
sound dotty, like a neighbourhood cat auntie. effacing himself and subsumed under the big
couture names he worked for.
HARD WORKER
People don’t give Lagerfeld enough credit A SMART, LOVELY PERSON
for the gruelling grind which must have been Not enough is made of Lagerfeld’s voracious
his reality. To design multiple collections for literacy (in four languages!) and his scholarly
multiple brands, every season, for decades, pursuits. Yes, the mountain of books and
is a colossal achievement. And then, he papers would have given Marie Kondo a
also took the photographs for the ads and nervous breakdown, but his erudition gave
editorials. He drew illustrations for branding gravitas to the Maison Lemarié feathers
collaterals, invites and magazines. He and layers of gossamer Lesage lace. The
wrote essays and handwrote notes, letters learnings that Lagerfeld wore so lightly
and cards. He designed interiors and shop imbued everything he created with a special
windows, and schmoozed with C-suites and refinement and polish you couldn’t find
celebrities. It is no wonder he hardly slept. anywhere else. It gave a dignified sheen
Lagerfeld turned up and delivered—for to even the unlikeliest of clunky Chanel
more than 50 years. shoes. The strangest fancies at Fendi had
the sparkle of a thing which knew its place
MODEST NATURE in the history of fashion, a look that money
Despite his outsized alter ego, Lagerfeld must couldn’t buy. Besides a high IQ, Lagerfeld
have been humble at his core. He had never obviously had a high EQ, too. His loyal
built an eponymous fashion house of any friends and collaborators are legion, and
160 philippine tatler april 2019
.
