Focus On - Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld

(Chanel Spring/Summer RTW 2011 Show at the Grand Palais)

• In 1955, Lagerfeld was awarded a position as an apprentice at Pierre Balmain after winning second place, behind Yves Saint-Laurent 
• In 1958 he moved to Jean Patou where he gained couture experience 
• In 1963, he began designing for Tiziani, a Roman couture house founded that year by Evan Richards 
• In 1964, Lagerfeld began to freelance for French fashion house Chloé. 
• He then joined Fendi, but still worked with Chloé. His 1972 Deco collection for Chloé attracted worldwide acclaim. 
• In 1983, he became the head designer for Chanel. 
• In 1984, he created his own line Karl Lagerfeld.

(Toni Garrn in Fendi Spring/Summer 2009 Ready-to-Wear)

I have a lot of respect for Karl Lagerfeld. The fact that he is the head designer for three major fashion houses says a lot about him. He is constantly producing multiple collections for each season and the thing I find so fascinating is that he work never mixes. What I mean by that is he is able to keep a distinctive style for each collection he produces, you will never mistake a Chanel collection for a Fendi collection. He is so creative and does so much, he is a great artist and this is evident in his work as a designer and a photographer.

(Anna Selezneva in Karl Lagerfeld Spring/Summer 2009Ready-to-Wear)

Picking my favourite Karl Lagerfeld collection was difficult because I could not decide whether I wanted a Chanel collection or a Fendi collection or a Lagerfeld collection. I really had a hard time with this one so rather than picking my favourite collection I decided to go with a more recent collection that I really liked. That is the Chanel Spring/ Summer 2012 collection everything was so beautiful, elements of classic Chanel with a twist what more could you ask for?

From YSL to SLP????????

 

 

(Sorry about my SLP graphics, as you can see that is not my strong point.)

The name Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) is being changed to Saint Laurent Paris (SLP) for the  Ready-to-Wear collections.

I'm sorry but I don't like this name change. Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) is such an iconic name and I associate it with sophistication and elegance and I feel like Saint Laurent Paris is just a little bit generic. I mean I love Paris as much as the next person but Mr Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent created the fashion house and he put his name on it and I feel like it should be left the way he made it.

A spokesperson for Yves Saint Laurent's creative director Hedi Slimane, said 'he was drawing inspiration from 1966, when the ready-to-wear line was launched as Saint Laurent Rive Gauche'. That's all well and good but I would like to point out that was one collection.

I don't know maybe I'm just being over the top, but I love that name. Maybe the new name will grow on us and we will forget it was ever called Yves Saint Laurent, but I doubt it especially since they are keeping the name Yves Saint Laurent for handbags, lipsticks and shoes. We will see how it goes but for now I think I will keep using the name Yves Saint Laurent.

(Yves Saint Laurent was founded by designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé in 1962, and the current logo was created by the graphic designer Cassandre. The logo makeover, to be presented with Slimane's first womenswear collection this autumn.)