Primitive Epicurean

Karl Lagerfeld's RTW Fall'10 collection was arguably more experimental than wearable. I, for one, would have no problem walking around in those fur pants. (though I'm sure they look a lot better on Abbey Lee than they would on me) However, I understand that not many people want to walk around in a polar bear outfit (Adelyn Wyngaarden, we're finding/making you one.) I think the overriding influence this collection will have on the mainstream market lies in the details. A year from now, we will see girls wearing ornaments and chains in their hair and carrying ice cubes for purses, carrying fuzzy purses and trudging in furry boots--maybe not at Duke, but somewhere. The important thing to take away from this collection is not the general picture, the story of the sophistication of the primitive caveman or yeti committed to luxury while exploring the Arctic. That's all fine and well for freaks like me, but the greater impact is in the specific. Lagerfeld explores volume on the bottom, rare in his Chanel collections, in the big furry pant. The absolute luxury, debauchery, and extravagance communicated by the mountains of accessories, fur, volume, hair, makeup... Lagerfeld is creating this beautiful dichotomy with something cold, ascetic, pure.. and aesthetic hedonism. There is also this wonderful parallel between the idea of the primitive savage and the complete surrender to one's id. It's not the hot savage of the hot regions of the earth.. he explored the idea of a cold, starving savage. This is what makes Lagerfeld's work fresh. It's both singular and dual. Lagerfeld's collection is dichotomous in being dichotomous. But that will all be forgotten, and trampy little preteen girls will be tromping around in furry boots holding their ugly miserable little dogs in ice cube containers. C'est la vie!
-Caroline






style.com for the pictures