Big bows, tall collars and a touching tribute
MILAN, Italy — Barely 48 hours after news of Karl Lagerfeld’s death sent shock waves through the fashion world, the designer’s final collection for Italian luxury label Fendi came down the runway Thursday at the brand’s showroom space during Milan Fashion Week. The show was full of tributes to the man who served as creative director of the house for more than half a century.
First, there were small cards at each seat with the capital letter “F” in black; a red heart where the horizontal tie would otherwise be and Lagerfeld’s signature in the lower right. The date of his death was printed on the reverse side. His signature was also affixed — and back-lighted — above the entrance at the top of the runway. And the show notes began with an acknowledgment of the longrunning relationship between the German-born designer and the Rome-based brand.
“The Fendi women’s fall/winter 2019-2020 collection is the final collection designed by Karl Lagerfeld,” the show notes began, “representing a lifetime of dedication and creation from 1965 until today.”
Kicking off to the sound of Lou Reed and John Cale’s “Smalltown” (“When you’re growing up in a small town / You say, ‘No one famous ever came from here’ ”) and wrapping up with David Bowie’s “Heroes,” the runway show was full of Lagerfeldian flourishes, most notably in the form of high-collared shift dresses that called to mind his own signature style, and the curling “Karligraphy” double F monogram logo (which he designed in 1981) rendered on intarsia fur jackets, tulle body suits, tights and cabochon buttons.
It was inevitable that the timing of Lagerfeld’s death would cast a long, pony-tailed shadow over the show, but one of the things that made him a true master of his craft was that even when it was all about him (and it was), it was really about creating beautiful clothes for women. And in that regard, his final work for Fendi had the designer going out on a high note.
Grounded in neutral tones of ivory and terra cotta with pops of sea green, daffodil yellow and tangerine orange, the collection was filled with strong shoulders, outsize contrast bows (some at the neck, others at the small of the back) and an assortment of the season’s undeniable trend — the full-to-overflowing trouser leg. A diamond pattern — which had already caught our eye in a memorable harlequin-esque look at Wednesday’s Gucci show — turned up here in spades large (thanks to laser-cut leather dresses and outerwear) and small (latticework pieced in with sharply pleated skirts).
After the last model had cleared the catwalk, the house lights came down and a snippet of video began to play. First, it was just Lagerfeld’s gloved hand sketching the name Fendi on a piece of paper. Then the image of the designer himself filled the screen as an off-camera voice asked, “Could you draw yourself on your first day of work at Fendi?” Lagerfeld responded by sketching — and describing the hat he was wearing; the shape and color of his jacket; and some of the details that made him instantly recognizable, like the long hair and the dark glasses. One last time — and for the ages — it seemed the designer was able to sketch out the caricatured version of himself he wanted to fix in our collective conscience.
Karl Lagerfeld had the last word.