Granted I’ve also been distracted by a NEO 10Y single and video release today (you can check it out on Paper Magazine), but I am not shocked (because he was 85 and drank Diet Coke all the time) or more surprisingly, I am not very upset by the death of someone I am supposed to have “stanned”. Maybe I grew out of stanning when I became my own person, or maybe I’m just at peace with death.

I feel there’s a lot more going on that we need to focus our energies on as a species and that is part of a wider consciousness shift… but he was a legend artistically and will live on forever in that sense. He should be happy with what he achieved creatively during that time on this planet, but does that warrant an upgrade alone or will his legacy be tarnished by his problematic behaviour that really doesn’t fly in our current reality?

I remember the first time that I met him in Paris, and I told him I named my blog after him, in hindsight he must have been like “LOL” but was flattered and said something generic like “oh that’s cool”. I went to his studio and hung out there for hours. He was listening to Lady Gaga on his computer. It was an era. I’m grateful to have experienced that.

However, and due to an otherwise imminent apocalypse, we are all evolving into a new way of thinking. We are moving away from idolising high fashion in the same way until it’s fair for everyone involved including the animals. The internet changed things for brands themselves, fashion has become democratised and the icons will now always be the icons. Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel will exist forever, but the dissipation of brand loyalty and group consciousness continues to erode at the once magnificent industry that really no longer exists in a conscious capacity for planet Earth.

I loved Karl Lagerfeld when I wasn’t woke.

Eight years ago, I named this blog after him because I thought it was quirky and I thought he was the epitome of artistry and detail and being a multi-disciplinary artist, and then I realised how his way of thinking wasn’t in line with the future of the planet and the safety of human spirits and minds.

Today, I stand for something, and honestly, the misogyny and fat phobia, violence to animals, racism and islamophobia that Karl Lagerfeld perpetuated in his life has made disassociate with that dated mentality completely. I hope we as a species learn to worship real innovators and thought leaders more.

Am I cancelling Karl Lagerfeld post mortem? Maybe. Am I just sharing valid thoughts during a consciousness shift. Definitely. Are we trying harder as human beings? I hope so.

Today was definitely a Reality Check.

—

On a spiritual note, it is WILD AF to me that he died today, the same day as my most self realised art is released, it’s as if the universe wants me to think it revolves around me. LOL

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It’s only the 6th of January and there are two absolutely brilliant pieces of creative that I wanted to highlight. First of all, the covers for Lady Gaga’s rather genius curated issue for V Magazine featuring the timelessly brilliant concept of Karl Lagerfeld shooting Hedi Slimane and Hedi Slimane shooting Karl Lagerfeld. Essentially, two of fashions biggest creative / design stars going tete-a-tete. It’s beautiful.

The other covers feature Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow posthumously edited, but originally photographed by Steven Klein. An incredible tribute. Finally, the star of the show herself – Gaga as a solo shot and even more provoking Gaga alongside Daphne Guinness.

Words on the issue, from Gaga herself:

“These are people who have kept me and protected me over the years, because they’ve wanted me to survive…that’s part of the message of this issue: we have to carry each other through the decades and take care of one another and honor each other’s work…I am saying thank you to all these people for everything they’ve given to me…I want to make sure the world knows who they are…it’s a guard of people…I call them my Fashion Guard!”

To experience the covers in full and the remaining unveils, head over to vmagazine.com

Secondly, the only health and fitness brand to truly embrace the use of high profile fashion photography is Equinox. With their last campaign photographed by Rankin, the luxury gym brand has now enlisted an even darker approach with Steven Klein at the helm of creative. The campaign is titled “Commit To Something” and is also styled by Mel Ottenberg featuring some incredible characters including Lydia Hearst.

On a third point, I really wanted to nod to and give my (albeit) brief opinion on the polarising images of Jaden Smith. Yes it is a bold and rather “late” move for Louis Vuitton, and the press it has generated is understandably polarising, but let’s please remember that the fact that a luxury brand is continuing down this path is not purely down to media agenda hijacking, but furthering equality in a genderless space that still needs a lot of work – so really it is never too late.

The post Creative Spotlight: Lady Gaga for V; Steven Klein for Equinox appeared first on KIMU.

This week has certainly been rather newsworthy for the LVMH empire. Raf Simons’ sudden departure from Dior has certainly left the ground uneasy, however on a more positive and exciting note, one of the portfolio’s most underrated houses Fendi opened its new headquarters at the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana in Rome – first designed in 1937 by architects Giovanni Guerrini, Ernesto Bruno La Padula and Mario Romano.

Fendi’s 450+ staff have actually already been working at the new headquarters for some months now, but it was this week that the official unveil took place along with the opening of the exhibition “Una Nuova Roma. L’Eur e il Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana” starting October 23rd 2015 until March 7th 2016 to celebrate its inauguration.

The exhibition has a strong focus on Italian artwork and has also imported paintings, on loan from New York’s MoMA. Photographers featured include Karl Lagerfeld, Gabriele Basilico, Fabrizio Ferri, Franco Fontana, Andrea Jemolo, Mimmo Jodice, Giulio Pediconi and Hans Christian Schink – and film extracts from Roberto Rossellini, Federico Fellini, Vittorio De Sica, Michelangelo Antonioni, Elio Petri, Bernardo Bertolucci.

The photographs above and below of the new Fendi headquarters are all shot by Karl Lagerfeld, of course.

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Kristen Stewart and CHANEL are a match made in heaven. Here she is shot by Unkle Karl Lagerfeld for the brand’s SS15 eyewear campaign.

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One of the finest traits about Louis Vuitton as a brand, and the reason why I love working with and supporting the vision is because Vuitton loves to collaborate. Whether it is Marc’s creative capsules inspired by Stephen Sprouse or a partnership with Murakami or Yayoi Kusama, even the way that Teller and other photographers are heroed by the brand – it’s part of the ethos and identity.

So, when Georges Vuitton (son of Louis) created the monogram in honor of his late father in 1896, he also created an icon in its own right which has been re-worked and re-imagined for decades, both legally and illegally. Now, over a century later six visionaries in their own right have taken the legend of the monogram and made it their own in ‘The Icon and the Iconoclasts: A Celebration of Monogram’ for the brand’s 160th birthday.

Christian Louboutin, Cindy Sherman, Frank Gehry, Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Newson and Rei Kawakubo were given free rein to create limited edition accessories and bags using the famous monogram print…and here are the results.

The designs are available for purchase on Louis Vuitton’s website from today. Lagerfeld’s designs will be available from this weekend.

The post Re-Imagining Louis Vuitton’s Iconic Monogram appeared first on KIMU.

I don’t know why but this seems so old school and awesome. I love that the fashion industry (a moment like this at least) is almost parody of itself. So Conchita Wurst, LGBT icon and Europop sensation is the new Andre J. First she walked in and closed the Jean Paul Gaultier couture show and now Karl Lagerfeld has just shot her for CR Fashion Book.

According to CR, “Her music and “drag-to-riches” story have captured many, which is why she—along with pregnant model Ashleigh Good—were chosen to represent the emerging fashion icons of today.” According to Karl Lagerfeld, Conchita “gives new meaning to the term drag” and for his most recent couture show, Ashleigh Good walked the runway, with child, in bridal couture.

The post Conchita Wurst by Karl Lagerfeld appeared first on KIMU.

To add to the collection, the Japanese-inspired lifestyle brand has added a selection of commercial wrist watches. My personal favourite is the ceramic white featuring a monochrome design – which is certainly more true to the aesthetic of Unkle Karl. Additional designs are available in blue and black with electric pink. Buy them at Watch Station International.

The post Karl Lagerfeld for tokidoki: Round 3 appeared first on KIMU.

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Wait. Bi-annual magazine 7HOLLYWOOD managed to bag Karl Lagerfeld, Carine Roitfeld, Courtney Love, Jared Leto, Elle Fanning, Irina Shayk and Laetitia Casta for their Winter 2014 Fantasy Issue. This is rather impressive, as are the seven cover portraits all shot by Alix Malka. Check out the video and covers below, and my favourite shots of Jared and Courtney under the cut. You can pre-order here.

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Either way, The Mask(-ed woman) that we saw a preview for on the third issue of CR Fashion Book is none other than Kim Kardashian. I’ve only met Kim once (in Cape Town of all places) but the respect and admiration I have for her and what she has achieved in this world is unparalleled. She’s an extremely smart woman and this is proof in point of the fact that she is playing this game better than most.

The CR Fashion Book shoot took place at Karl Lagerfeld’s studio the night before the amfAR gala in Cannes. It is art-directed by Riccardo Tisci.

The alternative cover features a Bruce Weber shoot with Emily Ratajkowski (my Blurred Lines favourite) and two male models engaging in well, a three-way I suppose. It’s good, it’s very Weber.

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