Karl Lagerfeld’s Triumphant Farewell at Fendi, Miuccia Prada Talks Racism

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Karl Lagerfeld’s Final Fendi Collection Walks in Milan
Karl Lagerfeld’s death earlier this week has cast a pall over fashion month, but as his final collection for Fendi took to the runway in Milan, the world was reminded that, for all his bluster and bravado and love of bitchy comments, Lagerfeld was always first and foremost a brilliant designer and it is that, more than anything else, for which he will be best remembered.

Lagerfeld’s final outing for Fendi was sexy in the sophisticated and exceedingly rich way that has become the house’s signature in recent seasons. The silhouettes were fitted and flowing, with high necklines and hems usually hitting below the knee, but rendered in the loveliest sheer fabrics and laser-cut leather mesh. The color pallet was rich and welcoming, the leathers impossibly buttery, and the felted fabrics divinely cozy. The use of flesh-colored-and-printed body stockings under the sheerest of dresses towards the end of the show was a wonderful styling choice and added yet another layer of interest to some of the show’s loveliest, if somewhat impractical, garments.

The presentation included a video tribute to Lagerfeld, who began designing for Fendi in 1965. In it, Lagerfeld himself reminisced about his first day at the house more than 50 years ago and made a sketch of his outfit on that day — a Norfolk jacket with French-style culottes and boots. “In the ’60s, we didn’t hold back,” he said. Indeed, holding back never seems to have been Lagerfeld’s modus operandi and the world of fashion is certainly a better place for it.

Karl Lagerfeld in a video played at Fendi’s Fall 2019 runway show. (firstVIEW)

Miuccia Prada Responds to Prada’s Recent Blackface Controversy (Business of Fashion)
In an expansive new profile on Business of Fashion, Miuccia Prada opened up about how she and her company are working to become more inclusive after dropping a racist product last December. As a company, Prada has already outlined initiatives it will take to improve itself, but on a more personal level, Prada opened up about the importance of education and adapting as a designer. “Racism is a very complicated and deep-rooted issue and we need to understand how fashion can contribute to the conversation,” she said. “I am seriously interested in the world from all different angles. I hope that when I’m working all of this process in my mind will somehow come out and make sense to people, but you don’t know exactly who [your customers] are anymore. They’re very different from when I started when the fashion audience was very precise and limited. It’s a learning process every day to try and know all the cultural differences in the world because it’s such a vast arena.”

Miuccia Prada (firstVIEW)

Max Mara Takes Inspiration From Nancy Pelosi for Fall 2019
Blue! Yellow! There weren’t a lot of colorful looks at Max Mara — the house mostly stuck to the black, camel, and cream it is known for — but when there was it was bright and vivid. The choice might have harkened back to a notable Max Mara color moment: Nancy Pelosi’s viral red coat from the label’s 2013 collection. While that particular shade wasn’t found on this runway (which is good, as it would have been too on-the-nose), according to Vogue Runway Pelosi was on creative director Ian Griffiths’ mood board.

Samsung Unveils Incredible Foldable Phone in San Francisco
On Wednesday, Samsung unveiled their next generation of Galaxy S10 smart phones and wearables at an event in San Francisco, including their much buzzed-about new folding-screen smart phone, called, aptly, the Galaxy Fold. The Fold features the world’s first 7.3-inch Infinity Flex Display, which folds into a compact device with a front cover display for easy, one-handed use just like a regular smartphone. The new range of phones also feature truly epic camera upgrades: an ultra-wide lens with a 123-degree field of view (the same as the human eye), digital stabilization for seriously steady recording, and industry-first AI to help you compose and capture the best pictures possible. Read more about the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Fold here and here, respectively. Honestly, they look pretty awesome.

Alberta Ferretti Jumps on the ’80s Bandwagon
It appears that the 1980s are a decade every designer has to be inspired by these days. Even Alberta Ferretti, who normally creates ultra feminine wares, could not escape the allure of tapered pants and lamé. Of course, she put her own spin on it — silhouettes were slim and fitted at the waist, and though the color palate was mostly shades of grey she did have some pops of pink. Mercifully, she omitted cliché oversized shoulder pads.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z Shout Out Meghan Markle in Brit Awards Acceptance Video
Beyoncé and Jay-Z won Best International Group at the Brit Awards on Wednesday. While the duo weren’t there to pick up their trophy in-person, they did submit a recorded acceptance speech. Reinterpreting the opening shot of their music video for “Apes**t,” the couple stood in front of a painting of Meghan Markle in a grand diamond tiara. In a post on Instagram Beyoncé added: “In honor of Black History Month, we bow down to one of our Melanated Monas. Congrats on your pregnancy! We wish you so much joy.” Congrats all around!

 

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A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on Feb 20, 2019 at 2:49pm PST

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