Karl Lagerfeld
PARIS, October 1, 2008
By Tim Blanks
Karl Lagerfeld once oh-so-memorably said that his signature line reflected how he would dress if he were a woman. Which (aside from the obviously borrowed-from-his-own-wardrobe touches like the crisp, white high-collared shirt or the clerical color scheme) surely makes for the intriguing psychology that underpins this label.For Spring, the designer talked about "blurring"—that is, rendering things not quite as they seemed. There were large, asymmetrical, girdling peplumlike patent-leather belts that shifted the silhouette, and veils of black chiffon trailing over indistinct floral prints. Erik Halley contributed metal body jewelry: Originally intended to mimic tattoos, it ended up looking more like a baroque lace, in contrast with the modernism of the clothes.
Modernism? Make that futurism, which was signaled by the first model, who beamed down in a Close Encounters shaft of light. Lagerfeld's sci-fi was actually more the retro-Blade Runner variety, as in an asymmetrically draped suit with forties tailoring or a pencil skirt that emerged from a peplum's pleated tiers.
This last item, shown in a sheer ice pink, clued us in to a more shadowy personality trait of this collection: a fetishistic maîtresse edge. If Chanel is Paris and Fendi is Milan, the Karl Lagerfeld line may be the place where he is most in touch with his inner Teuton—with all the severity that implies.
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Spring 2009 Ready-to-Wear
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3.1 Phillip Lim -
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Eley Kishimoto Elie Saab Elie Tahari Elise Øverland Emanuel Ungaro Emilio Pucci Emporio Armani Erdem Erin Fetherston Etro -
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Fashion Fringe Fendi Francesco Scognamiglio -
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Gap Gareth Pugh Giambattista Valli Gianfranco Ferré Giles Giorgio Armani Givenchy Graeme Black G-Star Gucci -
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Haider Ackermann Halston Hanii Y Helmut Lang Hermès Hervé Léger by Max Azria House of Holland Hussein Chalayan -
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Iceberg Isaac Mizrahi Issa -
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Kai Kühne Karen Walker Karl Lagerfeld Koi Suwannagate Kris Van Assche -
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L'Wren Scott Lacoste Lanvin La Perla Lela Rose Limi Feu Loewe Louise Goldin Louis Vuitton Luca Luca Luella Luisa Beccaria Lutz & Patmos -
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Naeem Khan Nanette Lepore Narciso Rodriguez Nathan Jenden Nicole Miller Nina Ricci -
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Ohne Titel Organic by John Patrick Oscar de la Renta Ossie Clark -
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Paul Smith Women Peter Jensen Peter Pilotto Peter Som Phi Philosophy Pollini Ports 1961 Prada Preen Pringle of Scotland Proenza Schouler -
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Sabyasachi Salvatore Ferragamo Sari Gueron Shipley & Halmos Sinha-Stanic Sonia Rykiel Sophia Kokosalaki Sophie Theallet Stærk Stella McCartney Stephen Burrows Sue Stemp -
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Tao Temperley London Thakoon Threeasfour Tibi Todd Lynn Tommy Hilfiger Topshop Unique Tory Burch Tracy Reese Trovata TSE Tuleh -
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Undercover United Bamboo -
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Valentino Vena Cava Vera Wang Vera Wang Lavender Label Veronique Branquinho Versace Victoria Beckham Viktor & Rolf Vivienne Tam Vivienne Westwood Vivienne Westwood Red Label VPL -
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William Rast Wunderkind -
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Y-3 Yigal Azrouël Yohji Yamamoto Yves Saint Laurent -
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Zac Posen Zero + Maria Cornejo
