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At Lagerfeld Gallery, Karl's Classy Cool
PARIS, October 6 - Lagerfeld Gallery is something of an exception at the Paris Ready-to-Wear shows, as the collection is ultimately an artistic expression of its creator rather than a purely commercial venture. To that end, setting, silhouette, and staging all combined to make a beautiful show on Wednesday morning, and one that attracted the world's most discriminating connoisseurs. Anna Wintour sat on a bench (without her New York bodyguards, but with a fur collar) surrounded by Grace Coddington, André Leon Talley, and Michael Roberts of the New Yorker, while further along Glenda Bailey, Editor-and-Chief of Harper's Bazaar, and Stephen Gan of Visionnaire rounded out the New York power set.
An aluminum space-looking capsule (split wide open) formed the framework to the stage, as frosty ice-blue lasers chiseled out the Lagerfeld Gallery logo. Moments before the show began, assistants strewed sparkling space dust along the catwalk. Add to the tableau invitations printed on a mouse pad, and you have all the makings of futuristic high art.
From the opening boyish, dove gray suits, worn atop flared skirts pealed back just enough to expose a glimmer of black tulle, or a smidgen of pleated ruffles, the crisp silhouette declined in numerous variations.
Karl explained backstage afterwards. "I wanted to keep a strict sharp top and then let the volume build down beneath." A few moments later, after sipping his no-sugar Pepsi Max, he added, "It's a little the same for men, that's why I like jackets worn open. If you close it up, it kind of makes you look pregnant."
Karl himself was looking ever fit and thin, sporting a new short tail laser-cut suit from Hedi Slimane's Fall 2004 collection for Dior Homme.
On the runway, his ultra-thin, small-breasted models created a vista of fine delicate lines. Whether jazzed up with candy stripes of canary yellow, violet and ruby-red, or draped and tied in cobalt-blue crêpe, the look was cool and classy. For evening, exquisitely suspended gowns were twirled with sparkling bands, an affect bursting with just enough éclat to be understated, though elegant.
In short, the entire show was a mirror image of Karl.
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