Description

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A compelling look at the aesthetic and historical significance of Lagerfeld’s work—from his elegantly tailored pieces for Chanel to the witty, playful ensembles that came to define the Lagerfeld brand
 
“The Met’s latest tome expertly narrates the journey that earned Lagerfeld his seat at the hallowed throne of modern high fashion.”—V Magazine
 
Unparalleled in its luxurious presentation, this publication celebrates the virtuoso artistry of Karl Lagerfeld (1933–2019). Designed to evoke an elegant parchment-and-cloth artist’s portfolio, it boasts a pageant of stunning fashion photography alongside Lagerfeld’s original sketches, offering a behind-the-scenes window into his process as well as his sartorial brilliance. Silver inks and select gold pages punctuate the book’s stylish packaging and recall the designer’s signature accessories. An illustrated timeline, unfurling from the back of the volume, chronicles the designer’s long and illustrious career.
 
Lagerfeld produced over 10,000 pieces of clothing across his extraordinary 65 years as a powerhouse fashion designer, from his time at Chloé and Fendi in the 1960s and 1970s to his celebrated leadership in the 1980s and beyond at Chanel and with his own label. His voracious curiosity and boundless imagination yielded beautiful, evocative garments, more than 200 of which are showcased here. These are accompanied by personal reflections from Lagerfeld’s premières d’ateliers—the seamstresses behind his extraordinary creations—as well as by Anna Wintour, Patrick Hourcade, Amanda Harlech, and Tadao Ando. A lavish work of art in its own right, this book is also an essential resource on Lagerfeld and how his designs transformed the entire fashion industry.
 
Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

About the Author

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Andrew Bolton is the Wendy Yu Curator in Charge of the Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Praise For…

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“Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty can be seen as a kind of dream work as well as a piece of art and scholarship.”—Vogue

“Andrew Bolton masterfully displays Lagerfeld’s iconic journey through fashion and design with stunning photographs and intelligent prose. . . . The book itself is a work of art––crafted with a variety of textural papers and adorned with rich gold colour. A must-experience for anyone seeking to understand the profound artistry that defined [Lagerfeld’s] legendary 65-year career.”—RGD Book Club (Association of Registered Graphic Designers), Design Books Gift Guide

“The Met’s latest tome expertly narrates the journey that earned Lagerfeld his seat at the hallowed throne of modern high fashion.”—V Magazine

“This handsomely designed book with lovely photography that showcases Lagerfeld’s talents is recommended for fashion aficionados and fans of his designs.”—Library Journal

“This catalogue is a guide to the man and his work, a guide that Karl—even Karl—would have loved.”—Anna Wintour

“The intersection of a serpentine line with a straight line . . . cross, overlap, and crush against each other, creating tension and expansion . . . offering a glimpse into the introspective world of Karl Lagerfeld.”—Tadao Ando

“[Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty] sheds light on the work of a designer of genius who marked the history of fashion . . . forever.”—Chanel

“Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty invites the public into Karl’s world and reveals the dualities within his work.”—Fendi