The May issue of Vogue is devoted to Anna Wintour’s tribute to her dear friend, the late Karl Lagerfeld, ahead of the Costume Institute’s show and gala devoted to the Lagerfeld theme. I already see a lot of people complaining online that Karl Lagerfeld was a snob who hated women (in general) and especially hated women who are bigger than a size 2. That’s real, he said all of that and more in many interviews. It was part of his whole persona – he was a hater, he was a snob, he thought Americans were gauche and unfashionable. Personally, I do think he mellowed in his final years, and becoming a father to his beloved cat Choupette definitely helped with his image.
Vogue organized various designers to “interpret” Lagerfeld’s staggering fashion archives with new looks, and I have to say, most of the new designs ATE. They’re so good, to the point where people are asking why none of those designers took over Chanel. Vogue also did a cover with “ten of the models that Lagerfeld loved the most”: Anok Yai, Shalom Harlow, Kendall Jenner, Liu Wen, Adut Akech, Natalia Vodianova, Naomi Campbell, Amber Valletta, Gigi Hadid, and Devon Aoki. Karl loved Kendall? Really? She walked some Chanel runways, but I doubt she was one of his faves. Amazingly, the magazine also brought out Choupette for the editorial! Naomi Campbell got to pose with Karl’s beloved cat, who I believe is now living with one of Lagerfeld’s senior staff.
You can read Wintour’s letter here. I was actually quite moved by what she said about her dear friend, and I appreciate that she didn’t want to do a somber or funerial tribute to Lagerfeld – she wanted it to be joyful and appreciative of his fashion legacy. Vogue also put a lot of their editorial on Instagram – they put a lot of time and money into this and it’s very cool.
Cover & IGs courtesy of Vogue.
Amazing!!!!
I know that there so many brands with problematic pasts and such and for me, though I know Chanel stands for classic elegant style and is now completely owned by a Jewish family, I can’t get over the fact that Chanel herself was a Nazi spy…And Karl has said so much fucked up things during his lifetime…Whether it was for shock value or not, some things you only say because you honestly believe it and you know you can get away with it behind the ‘Artist’ façade. Knowing all that, I rather put my money in other brands…No judgment to those who do buy and own Chanel though. World is though, it’s your money, do what you want with it. Also Chouette is indeed très, très mignonne.
I feel exactly the same way. I did not know their current owners are Jewish, but I can’t get past how terrible coco was
@manda, it’s somehow even worse. Coco co-owned Chanel with her Jewish investors WHILE she was a nazi spy and tried to push them out of the company, but it didn’t work. Also sounds like her Jewish investors were the ones that made the brand Chanel a veritable moneymaker by commercialising it. Luxury brands likes to be exclusive and elite, but the bulk of their revenues comes from their cosmetics and perfumes lines AKA the affordable products.
https://www.businessinsider.com/wertheimer-family-chanel-fortune-gerard-alain-vineyards-thoroughbred-net-worth-2019-2?r=US&IR=T
@ R, thank you for the link!! It is a fabulous read as well as an excellent look into how Coco cooperated with the Nazis in attempting to take over the ownership of Channel. How Coco Channel escaped from being held accountable for her atrocities is simply mind boggling to me. Though I am delighted that she wasn’t able to carry out her vile acts.
Chanel is tacky. It’s always been tacky. Quilted leather? It boggles my mind that this stuff is so popular. And wtf, Kendal Jenner?!
Yup nothing screems tacky like a kardashian
It’s an interesting cover but we really, really need to stop giving hateful, ignorant people a pass because they are “artists” or “eccentric snobs” or make money. Nope, they are just ignorant, hateful bigots and should be called out as such.
Choupette does not look enthused about her inclusion in this modeling extravaganza
in first moment i thought she was a purse.
They did Choupette dirty! That’s a terrible pose. They should have at least carried her upright!
I agree! Choupette looks like she’s thinking “this bitch better not throw me at anyone!”
Yes! That photo looks like Naomi had her driver stop on the bridge so that she could throw the cat over the side!
I mean first off, she’s Karl’s cat. I’d expect nothing less from her. I see her look as more “I’m back, bitches!”
I actually like what Viard is doing with Chanel nowadays a lot more than Lagerfeld’s last collections. I always loved his work at Fendi more than his work at Chanel.
As for the Karl persona, the whole mean snob act hasn’t aged well – I think fashion works better when designers can do their job without having to be the face of the brand for the media.
his last collections were all about sets. The clothes were derivative and boring. Viard is doing her best, which is not saying much, but everyone would be struggling. Chanel brand is just stale and a hostage to its past.
Seeing Kendal Jenner next to the other models shows what a weak model she really is.
Love this homage to Karl. Choupette is everything.
It’s really lovely. And they got Choupette looking to camera, which is no small feat when photographing a cat. Anok Yai’s look is my favorite look, but I appreciate all the tributes.
I was thinking the same thing. They did a great job capturing choupette looking at the camera
Choupette is quite something, has an agent among other things.
How were Claudia Schiffer, Freja Beha and Cara D not included in this? They were THE Karl girls. And from the “newer” models it should’ve been Rianne von Rompaey, Vittoria Ceretti and Anna Ewers, who walked all of his shows and starred in a bunch of campaigns. Gigi and Anok (love her though) had no business being in there. But well, Anna Wintour will do what she wants.
No Kate Moss either. Cara would have been a better choice over Kendall or Gigi. Claudia Schiffer would have been amazing. I don’t hate this cover or the editorials but I feel like there are some “Chanel” faces missing and it’s too many youngins, need more legacy models in this legacy issue.
i wonder if “Cloodia” refused to appear on that cover.
Wintour did do a disservice to all of the models and musses that Karl drew inspiration from for decades. It is a façade to include some of these models, especially Jenner and Gigi, as they weren’t deigned by Karl to be worthy enough.
He was so gaga about Claudia. No way she would not be top 10. Also Laetizia Casta, Ines de la Fressange?
I don’t see Cara Delivigne, which is weird.
She has been Karl last muse for years.
I wonder if she has pissed someone.
Depending on when the photos were taken, wasn’t Cara in recovery or taking some time for recovery recently? She might have declined or not been in her best headspace to do it.
Choupette looks photoshopped in this!
Also missing is Kimora Lee Simmons. She was his muse and closed a Chanel show at only 13 years old. Her daughter posted a nice tribute to this on Instagram.
I was surprised not to see Kimora. Having Kendall or Gigi there doesn’t make sense
Choupette is such a pretty cat. I hope she’s not too sad with Karl gone. Kitties get very attached to their people.