Karl Lagerfeld Maison, the fashion brand’s new interior branch, makes its debut during Milan Design Week 2023, with an inaugural collection created in collaboration with interior designer Matteo Nunziati and presented at a new showroom at via Passione 8.
The launch comprises four collections, each named after Karl Lagerfeld’s favourite areas of Paris: ‘Saint Germain’ and ‘Saint Guillaume’ include living areas and bedroom furniture, ‘Quai Voltaire’ is dedicated to the kitchen, and ‘Rue de l’Université’ is a lighting collection.
The collections are directly inspired by Lagerfeld’s own approach to interiors. His passion for design was evident in every space he put together; his highly researched and refined interiors combined classic and historical design with contemporary pieces. ‘He was not a collector, he was more someone that was filling a house and his brain with an idea of style,’ says Caroline Lebar, the brand’s SVP of Image and Communications, who worked alongside Lagerfeld for nearly four decades. ‘What was special about Karl was that as soon as he was focusing on a period or style, he would become an expert.’
Lagerfeld developed his passion through a series of interiors across France, from an apartment at Monaco’s Millefiori tower to a 19th-century house near Versailles, and apartments in Paris, used as homes and offices (the contents of these interiors were sold in the Karl Lagerfeld Estate auction by Sotheby’s in 2021). ‘What was very specific to Karl was that he was really not specific to a period,’ continues Lebar. ‘He approached the interior design of a house like he would a fashion collection, or the installation for a show.’
Karl Lagerfeld Maison: 'a message of love to Karl'
‘Saint Germain’ sofa, side table and coffee table
Every collection will feature the work of a new guest, who will be invited to create an interpretation of Lagerfeld’s approach to design. The collaborative path is something that Lagerfeld himself had been championing for the brand, and something that, Lebar stresses, the team follows for any of the company's new development. The process of putting together this and future collections starts with Lebar spending several hours with each creative to immerse them in Lagerfeld’s world, with the result being a series of designs that together encapsulate the creative director’s DNA.
'This project builds a different point of view on Karl,' Lebar says. 'It highlights Karl as the lover of interior design; it’s so important to use him as a starting point – the first collection should be a message of love.'
Karl Lagerfeld and Caroline Lebar
‘Saint Germain’ collection: a book lover’s delight
During his design process, Nunziati considered the aesthetic of Paris and Hamburg, two cities close to Lagerfeld, and imagined the designer walking along the German city's canals, or strolling by the mansions of Paris’ Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
Among the key pieces in the collection are the ‘Saint Germain’ sofa (the hero piece, as Lebar describes it), whose sides and back are designed as a small library to display tomes horizontally (Lagerfeld's preferred way to display his books, so he could easily read the titles on the spines). The feature recurs across the ‘Saint Germain’ series, with slots for books in side tables, coffee tables, a sideboard and a bedroom wall system.
The back of the ‘Saint Germain’ sofa
But among Lebar's favourite pieces is also the ‘Quai Voltaire’ dining table, featuring a lacquered glass top and a metal frame whose design she describes as 'a mix of today and Bauhaus'.
The kitchen is another interpretation of Lagerfeld's style: while he himself was not a 'kitchen person', the design featuring a standing bar is close to his vision. 'You can stand and have a conversation: it's a very social approach to the kitchen,' notes Lebar.
‘Saint Germain’ chair
The colour and material palettes match the visual spirit of the brand (and of the man), with white and black discreetly punctuated by reds and pinks, and a selection of reflective materials, brushed metals and glass surfaces.
'I have been dreaming of this day, launching our design collection,' says Lebar. 'Because Karl was so incredible when thinking about interior design, and that's a great achievement for the brand and a reflection of our legacy.'
Karl Lagerfeld Maison launches on 18 April 2023
Karl Lagerfeld Maison
via Passione 8
Milan
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