couture is here

Karl Lagerfeld ‘Will Die With His Boots On’

Last night at ten in Paris, Karl Lagerfeld presented his fall 2009 Chanel couture collection. Cathy Horyn visited the Kaiser the day before the show and asked him about the rumors that recently surfaced about him retiring and Alber Elbaz taking his place at Chanel.

Mr. Lagerfeld said to forget about it. He was going to die with his boots on. He also mentioned that Alain Wertheimer, whose family owns Chanel, said he would sell the house when the designer leaves. This might not be the case, Mr. Lagerfeld said, but it was a nice thing to be told.


Thank goodness. A Chanel collection without the Kaiser would be like a margarita without the tequila — no kick, a waste of calories. His collection last night, presented against a backdrop of four giant Chanel No. 5 perfume bottles, contained a flap motif. Almost every look had a flap of fabric hanging off it, with some extending to the floor for extra drama. These are not to be confused with trains, which Karl says are “pretentious.” Although WWD calls the collection low-key, Horyn notes that the house of Chanel is the last place you’d notice the recession. Over to Karl: “We make a lot of money.” Stay tuned for more runway images.

Chanel, Now and Then [On the Runway/NYT]
Chanel Couture Fall 2009 [WWD]

Karl Lagerfeld ‘Will Die With His Boots On’