Is Karl Lagerfeld Leaving Chanel or Changing it?
BY YARINA YAO
Karl Lagerfeld could be retiring after the upcoming Chanel’s cruise show in Cuba in May, Page Six reports. "He's really tired," a Paris friend of Lagerfeld's told Page Six. "He's not doing well and he's ready to stop." However, Chanel has denied the rumours. "The rumours about Mr. Lagerfeld discontinuing the collections and the cruise collection show in Cuba being the last are unsubstantiated," a spokesperson told Vogue recently.
"Why should I stop working?" he told VogueTV. "If I do, I'll die and it'll all be finished”. Lagerfeld joined Chanel since 1983, and Fendi since 1965, he has been working in fashion for almost 50 years. In 2012, the 83-year-old designer once told the press he would never retire. Would it really be possible the rumours are going to be true? Technology is now affecting the fashion world, even the 2016 Met Gala theme is “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology'. Lagerfeld, as a traditional fashion designer of a 107-year-old fashion house Chanel, started to be involved in the new era. A year ago, at Chanel’s F/W 2015/16 Haute Couture show for Paris Fashion Week, in front of a celebrity-studded runway, the luxury fashion icon, Karl Lagerfeld presented a new line of 3D printed dresses but the most impressive creation was the 3D printed version of the Chanel’s iconic suit. The suit was reproduced using SLS technology to follow the 21st-century vibes with a classic look. Due to high demands of technology from the new fashion market, no matter Chanel, Dior or Hermes, all the traditional luxury brands need to be changing. “The world is changing, maybe not always for the best , but we have to follow the changes and the internet. Still, there is a way of doing it” Lagerfeld said. Moreover, he also has a plan of tech fashion trend for Chanel. “I want to do something else, perhaps it is too early to talk about it, but I want to make a special collection only for the internet. You buy them and you get them immediately.” Lagerfeld said to WT Vox. Lagerfeld definitely didn’t sound like a person who is going to retire soon, at least not now. He is following the trend closely and still has lots of ideas to create. Such a talented and with history gorgeous collections designer , what would be his next step? We will first see in the Chanel’s cruise show next month. |