FASHION LEGEND KARL LAGERFELD BRINGS FRENCH CARTOONIST ON BOARD
AMBER LOVE 03-FEB-2015 Yesterday, WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY announced that KARL LAGERFELD is working with French cartoonist TIFFANY COOPER. It seems that the news has crashed Cooper’s website. All that I could find about her is that she’s one of the many artists who posted a “Je Suis Charlie” image in support of Charlie Hebdo regarding the killing of the cartoonists’ offices who once drew a picture of the Muslim Prophet.
I’m not surprised anymore when I see nerd culture iconography on fashion’s elite runways. We’ve seen Rodarte’s STAR WARS themed ensembles in the odd place of fashion catwalks – because why not? Nerds have money and love to spend it on things they adore. It’s also the sort of thing that ends up launching “fake geek” arguments. Who do these statuesque models think they are wearing leggings with C3-PO? Well, get over it. Geek Chic is not going away as long as celebrities and movies keep making millions of dollars from commercialism.
There isn’t much information out there about how Cooper’s cartoons will be used. All that’s been said is it’s part of a capsule collection which will include apparel and accessories. You won’t be able to find them until the Spring/Summer collections come out in April according to Red Milk Magazine.
If you’re wondering who the hell this person is and why he matters, here’s the basic information. Karl Lagerfeld has run some of the most impressive fashion houses in the entire world. At his level, he’s more than a designer. He has reached God-level, to put it in gaming/comic terms. He’s over 80-years-old and has run not only the Karl Lagerfeld empire, but also Chanel, Fendi, Chloe, H&M, and more. Yes, even more. He’s a shark that never stops swimming. In his case though, all his movement are flourish with a wave of his fan. His air of mystery is more than hiding behind large black sunglasses – he also refuses to say how old he really is. He also bears a striking resemblance to American actor James Garner. See for yourself. If Garner had been white-haired and his glasses were sunglasses, it’s uncanny. Their similar fierceness in the public eye nails it. A stubborn, gay version of Garner.
Lagerfeld doesn’t outrageously push the design boundaries like the houses of McQueen and Gaultier, but he’s had his controversy. Supposedly he upset VOGUE’s Anna Wintour when he *gasp* hired sex workers for his runway show. Wintour reportedly walked out his Milan show in 1993 when she witnessed a porn star and strippers on his stage. Really, Anna? Get the hell over yourself. Gautier has featured drag queens. Lagerfeld’s choice of porn stars is nothing to worry your pretty little head over. Unfortunately, Lagerfeld is still pro-fur. Boooo.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.