Karl Lagerfeld

One of the things I love about Designer Day is that I often find out stuff I never knew about the various designers – even the most famous ones whom I thought I knew everything about. German designer Karl Lagerfeld (1938 – ) is of course a very famous and highly regarded designer, but today I found out that he actually owns a book shop and a publishing company! Did you know that? For a bookworm like myself, and indeed all us Vili Flikers, that is about the greatest thing a person can do. Throw in some magnificent clothes as well, and we got ourselves a hero.

 

I think Lagerfeld is the one designer even people not interested in fashion would be able to recognize. His signature look is basically illustrated above, and I for one can’t really remember having seen him wear anything else… I think.

Lagerfeld is probably best known for his position as art director at Chanel, where he started in 1983.

But, the prodigy that is Karl can do more than that. As a 17 year old, (why do all the brilliant people start out so early?! They make me feel old and bitter), Lagerfeld became the assistant to the great designer Pierre Balmain. Three years later he was art director for Jean Patou.

During the 60-s, Lagerfeld worked as an independent stylist, until Fendi came by and asked him to collaborate with them. This collaboration still continues.

But collaborating with both Fendi and Chanel obviously was not enough, so in 1984, Lagerfeld also launched his own line, called (perhaps the most original thought he ever had): Karl Lagerfeld.

He has, as mentioned last week, also collaborated with Chloé. However, designing marvelous clothes for sometimes four different fashion houses still was not enough, so Lagerfeld started exploring photography, and from 1987 he has created his own advertising campaigns. And they are brilliant.

He has also made the illustrations for “The Emperor’s New Clothes” by H. C. Andersen, which unfortunately I wasn’t able to find any photos of. If you know of any, please tell us! But there is no doubt that the Karl, like us, loves books (allegedly he owns 300 000). That’s probably why there is a rumor circulating that he is launching a new perfume called Paper Passion. Whether this is true or not, I do not know, but it would be kinda cool.

I realize that this post has been very textual – but there was just so much fun stuff about Lagerfeld that I had to share! But let’s end this post the way it should – with some photos:

Love, Hanna

Splash of Greatness

Skirt: Rustic Design by Annette, of course.

A Single Man

This Friday I think you should all enjoy some quality drama, and with that in mind I hereby recommend to you the glorious sadness that is A Single Man (2009).

The story begins when George (Colin Firth) gets a phone call that his partner of 16 years has died in a car accident. As this is the USA in the 60s, George is not invited to the funeral and is left dealing with his loss alone. The viewer follows him through one day, a week later, where plans and friendships are made and remade, and several perspectives of life is encountered. Intertwined with this are memories of the time George and his boyfriend spent together.

The film is directed by Tom Ford, which ensures that everything is classy, stylish and beautiful, and includes such wonderful actors as Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Nicholas Hoult.

You really need to see this.

Love, Elin

Perfect match

Vili Flik just received the fabulous news of another of our favorite Hotties, the ever-brilliant Helena Bonham-Carter, has been chosen as the new face of Marc Jacobs. Now, we are all huge fans of the power couple that is Helena and Tim, but, we are also ever convinced that Helena paired up with one of our favorite fashion houses is bound to be oh-so-fabulous.

What do you think?

Audrey Tautou

Audrey Tautou (1976 – ) is a gorgeous French actress who stars in one of my absolute favorite movies: La Fabuleux Destin d’ Amelie Poulain (2001). For that alone she deserves to be a Vili Flik Hottie.

Not seen it, you say? A: How is that possible?! and B: Go watch it right now. You can finish reading this post later.

Audrey Tautou is actually named after style and movie icon and goddess, Audrey Hepburn. Of course. In addition to being a fabulous actress, she has actually studied literature (an important qualification for reaching hottie-status at Vili Flik).

A couple of years ago, she played fashion queen Coco Chanel in Coco Avant Chanel. It was fabulous.

Playing Chanel also landed her the deal of being the face of Chanel nr. 5.

The fabulous Tautou has also starred in movies such as

Ensemble, C'est Tout (2007)

Un Long Dimanche de Fiançailles (2004)

 I haven’t seen the last two, but I’m sure she does a brilliant job in both.

Isn’t she lovely?

Love, Hanna

Granny’s Hats

In my grandmother’s attic there are many hats. Or, there used to be, until I went on a raid… Unfortunately, I am unsure of when and where most of them are from, so this Wednesday Vintage will be me asking you to help me date the amazing collection I found. As I am convinced that all of you are brilliant, intelligent people with supreme knowledge of fashion history (why else would you hang out at our blog?), I am sure you’ll be able to help. To that end, this will be a picture-heavy post, with multiple pictures of each item (partly also because they are fabulous and well deserving of a post in their own right). I sincerely hope that some of you may be able to help me out – if you have any idea which decade any of these are from, please give some feedback in the comments section. And now for the lovelies!

Hat 1:

Hat 2:

Hat 3:

Hat 4:

Hat 5:

Hat 6:

Hat 7:

Hat 8:

Hat 9 (this is possibly an old scout uniform hat):

Hat 10:

Hat 11:

To reiterate, if anyone has an idea about the decade any these hats are (probably) from, it would be very much appreciated if you would leave a comment for us.

Love, Mari (with thanks to Elin for modelling her share of the beauties).

Gaby Aghion

In 1952, French designer Gaby Aghion (1921 – ), sensed a gap in the fashion market and created a line of comfortable and elegant clothes from fine quality fabrics. She called it luxury prêt-à-porter. Up until then, the glorious luxury fashion houses had only produced haute couture, which, sadly, only a few could afford. By inventing prêt-à-porter, or ready-to-wear if you wish, Aghion made fashion more available for us mere mortals. What a fantabulous lady.

And what was the name of the fashion house this brilliant broad founded in 1952? Chloé.

From 1966 and throughout the 70s, Karl Lagerfeld worked as main designer for Chloé, and the brand was one of the hottest of the 70s.

In 1985, Gaby Aghion sold Chloé, and since then a lot of talented people have taken their turn at the wheel. Since earlier this year, the head designer has been British designer Claire Waight Keller.

The style is still chic and comfortable-looking, and I really do think it’s beautiful, even if I sometimes almost want to cry out for more colors and contrasts. But that’s why we have accessories, isn’t it?

Love, Hanna

Fretex

This weekend Vili Flik attended their very first fashion runway show. The host was Fretex Unica, our favourite secondhand store, which is, unfortunately, to be closed down at the end of June. It will be sorely missed!

The show was fun, though, and I can see how fashion shows can become addictive. All them cool outfits!

Below is a selection of what was modeled, all the clothes, and many more, can be purchased at Fretex Unica, at Mercur Senteret in Trondheim.

The Lovely Bones

My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973. In newspaper photos of missing girls from the seventies, most looked like me: white girls with mousy brown hair. This was before kids of all races and genders started appearing on milk cartons or in the daily mail. It was still back when people believed things like that didn’t happen. […] My murderer was a man from our neighborhood. My mother liked his border flowers, and my father talked to him once about fertilizer.

Alice Sebold’s 2002-novel The Lovely Bones is told by murder victim Susie, speaking from her own private “heaven” from where she watches over her distraught family as well as the man who killed her. She sees her father and sister desperately trying to find out the truth about her disappearance, her family torn apart by their loss, and her friends growing up and moving on with their lives. She also follows the life of her killer.

The novel is engaging, intriguing and compelling. There are some slightly shocking scenes, but mainly this is a beautiful and bittersweet story which is very difficult to put down and even more difficult to forget.

In 2009, Peter Jackson released his film adaptation, and although it is not as perfect as the novel (how could it ever be?), it is well worth the watch.

So, that’s two recommendations for the price of one. Enjoy!

Love, Mari

Splash of Greatness