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One is arguably one of the most famously talented, if not iconic, fashion designers to have ever lived. The other is willowy teen offspring of a supermodel and her celebrity entrepreneur husband, who happens to have 3.6 million followers on Instagram.
Together, they’ve created a capsule collection under the Karl Lagerfeld label that’s set to send cult-vibe shockwaves that are ever greater than the sum total of their individual fames.
The Karl Lagerfeld x Kaia Gerber collection – the teen model’s first foray into large stakes fashion design – will drop globally on Revolve.com and the brand’s own website on August 30, then roll out to a select group of global stores, including Selfridges and Excelsior two weeks later.
While Gerber’s Malibu-raised influence on the range is clear – particularly in a styled campaign image context, with skateboards, surfer references, chunky trainers, metallic leather and over-the-knee socks – Lagerfeld’s aesthetic is obvious too. Reports suggest the collection will range from US$35 to $1045, covering everything from ready-to-wear, sunglasses, shoes and accessories.
The black and white palette is the Chanel and Fendi ready-to-wear designer’s signature. Touches of demure pink and wine red velvet offset strong silhouettes and fabrics like leather. According to fashion industry publication Women’s Wear Daily, contributing to the collection’s aesthetic gave her “a new appreciation for how hard designers work, and how much creativity and thought goes into every collection”. (Read more of the WWD article here).
The fashion world might have gone Kaia crazy since the genetically-blessed daughter of original super Cindy Crawford and model-turned-businessman Randy Gerber turned 16 (aka legal modelling age), but Karl Lagerfeld was perhaps the earliest luxury adopter. Gerber opened the designer’s Chanel Spring/Summer 2018 runway show at Paris Fashion Week in 2017, then raised eyebrows by appearing in a Chanel advertising campaign in what some deemed overtly sexy imagery for a teen.
But that’s always been part of the Woolmark Prize’s inaugural winner’s magic: he’s always one step ahead of the trends and trend-makers and willing to push boundaries to get his clothes noticed. Shop the collection from August 30 at Revolve and Karl.com.
