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May 28, 2019
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Karl for Ever Memorial to be staged in Paris' Grand Palais on June 20

Published
May 28, 2019

The fashion houses of Chanel, Fendi and Karl Lagerfeld have jointly allied to host Karl for Ever, a memorial celebration of the life of the late couturier Karl Lagerfeld.
 
This unique happening will be staged in Paris on the evening of Thursday, June 20 inside the Grand Palais, where Lagerfeld staged many of his most memorable runway shows. The one-night only celebration will start at 6.30 p.m. that evening, right in the middle of the next Paris menswear runway season.


Karl Lagerfeld taking a bow at a Chanel show


 “This unique event… will pay tribute to the artist’s legacy and his unprecedented creativity, which expanded beyond fashion to include design, photography, publishing, illustration and architecture,” the three houses said in a joint press release.
 
Lagerfeld was the creative director of Fendi from 1965, the longest tenure of any creative director in a major fashion house. In 1982, he was hired by Chanel to revamp the then-moribund fashion label. He founded his own maison one year later. While the evening will also include images from his time as a creative director of Chloé.

The Grand Palais was the scene of some of Lagerfeld’s greatest triumphs, where in his final decade he staged his greatest extravaganza shows. Featuring variously a giant rocket-ship; massive futurist computer center; mock black-and-white version of the garden of Versailles; James Bond-worthy casino; huge French brasserie and for his final show, a hyper realist Alpine village.

The event will be conceived of, directed and designed by Robert Carsen, the noted theater, opera and artistic director. The celebration will be attended by guests from around the world, including his friends and colleagues, reflecting the many lives that Karl Lagerfeld touched.
 
“How can we celebrate the life of Karl Lagerfeld one of the most complete, dedicated and talented artists of the 20th and 21st centuries? How can we celebrate this Renaissance man, who remained ahead of his time by taking inspiration from the past whilst always looking to the future? Through a tapestry of videos of him throughout his life, interwoven with numerous short interviews with many of the people whom he inspired and who worked with him in so many fields. And perhaps above all through the contribution of actors, musicians, and dancers whose work he admired, who were his friends and who will interpret some of the music and literature that he so loved,” said Carsen in the release.
 
In addition to video footage on giant screens, there will be live performances by dancers, musicians, singers and actors, interpreting pieces of work admired by Lagerfeld. Alongside interviews with friends and colleagues.
 
The German-born couturier died on February 19 and was quietly cremated shortly afterwards at a private ceremony in Nanterre, outside of Paris.
 
However, just like many of his mammoth shows for Chanel, the Karl for Ever event is expected to invite some 2,500 guests.
 
 

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