KARL LAGERFELD PARIS SS 13

　

Spring-Summer 2013

　

This season, KARL LAGERFELD PARIS plays a graphic game of trompe-l’oeil, with geometric

designs and smart detailing catching the eye in the quintessential palette of black, white and metal, worked in unexpected light technical fabrics. For women, the silhouette begins with a 3D metallic jersey giving an almost liquid feel to "skin dresses", fluid tops and trousers that can be worn alone or underneath tailoring for a dramatic effect. Flashes of silver also come from zippers, studs and poppers: dresses can be opened with the pull of a zipper tag to reveal clever layering, while long-legged jeans also feature a zip fastening at the ankle. Proportions and details are treated in a playful manner, the focus being a double shirt bib or "plastron" whose asymmetric shape appears throughout the collection on dresses, jackets, coats, leather and even a kilt-effect mini as well as on the iconic white shirt, also worked with a wider open collar and as a short-sleeve version. The crisp feel of technical cotton and linen adds shine to jackets and coats in a masculine style, with pockets and stitching giving the garment structure. Corset-style reinforced stitching provides dresses with a focus on the waist, carried over onto a high-waisted skirt and trouser design. With their simple lines and light yarns, knits are the perfect canvas for the linear, geometric designs that recur throughout the entire collection in shades of black, white and petrol blue. Softer shades of pale blue, green and pink add a feminine edge to the signature KARL LAGERFELD PARIS black, white and silver. Contrasting leather and sparkling sequins add texture and light to sheer black. For evening, layers play a game of reality and trompe-l’oeil in striking combinations of fabrics. Pockets, straps and necklines are all fuel for fantasy. A demure white tee with jewel buttons worn with a strappy long dress is in fact a single garment, while black and metallic jersey are draped into streamlined gowns.

For men, the palette opts for a softer, more "aged" version of metallic fabrics paired with the essential black, white and grey. Jeans follow this colour scheme, with silver thread also worked into the weave of black and white denim. The idea of shine carries across into a coat in a contemporary linen with leather lapels and detailing – a feature throughout the men’s collection from shoulders and pockets to trims. Jackets for the modern dandy are resolutely short, including a tuxedo tailcoat with hardware-style square poppers, while the more traditional lengths play with detailing for the pockets and buttons. Blouson shapes in technical cotton or leather display double collars and the over-lapping effect seen in the women’s collection, also used here on shirts and tees. The recurring geometric shapes that span men’s and women’s are worked into shirts and knits. Chintz and finished cotton bring a further shine, with petrol blue adding a hint of colour. Leather details and coloured collar trims provide a new twist for the classic white shirt.

Accessories for men and women share a colour scheme and geometric pattern in white, black and petrol blue, with metallic details and contrasting textures. Masculine shoppers and weekenders opt for extra-large sizes in snakeskin, metallic canvas and matte leather. The key design for women is a shoulder bag with two snap pockets in patent or rubber-effect leather, available in handbag and satchel sizes. Versatile multi-pocket bags in black or silver hold a variety of gadgets. Clutches in a range of sizes are painted with linear geometric shapes, as are snakeskin flats. Heels feature graphic straps across the front of the foot in contrasting shades of pastel tones. Belts for men and women display a jewelled logo medal as a clasp.

This season, the KARL LAGERFELD PARIS collection is showcased by Poppy Delevingne and Baptiste Giabiconi in a lookbook shot by Karl Lagerfeld himself. Model and singer Baptiste is instantly recognisable to those who are familiar with the Karl Lagerfeld universe, while blonde British icon Poppy Delevingne is a rising star in the fashion world. She brings her poise and elegance to the Karl Lagerfeld Paris collection for the first time.