“No one wants to see curvy women.” Just one of many highly offensive and hateful quotes that Karl Lagerfeld was known for. Although very talented and renowned, Karl was fatphonic, sexist, and likely racist considering the noticeable lack of Black and brown people on his runways over the years. So when this year’s Met Gala theme was announced, I had two thoughts that may seem contradictory, but I feel like both are valid and important to discuss.
As much as it pains me to say it, the theme made total sense. Karl was and is one of the biggest names in fashion and he was undoubtedly talented with a clear vision that has influenced and contributed to the fashion industry in massive ways. He kept Chanel relevant for decades, which is not easy for an haute couture fashion house to do. Karl was also a longtime friend of Anna Wintour (and tons of other big players in the industry) who is obviously over the entire Met Gala. As someone who has a degree in fashion merchandising and has devoured countless exhibits, books, and documentaries about fashion, I can appreciate Karl’s artistry and impact.
On the other hand, we should never ignore someone’s problematic, harmful views and behavior. Too often does the fashion industry perpetuate and even celebrate blatant fatphobia, sexism, and racism. Having a token Black model here and there or maybe even one size 10 model is still supposed to be “progressive” or “groundbreaking” — give me a f*cking break. It’s 2023 and these topics are exhausting. The false narrative that dark skin and curvy bodies don’t “sell” is BORING. And Karl’s entire legacy contributes to all of that. There’s no denying it.
So where does that leave people like me? People of color, plus size people, etc. who have a deep love for fashion but are consistently told that it doesn’t love us back? Hmmm, that is the question isn’t it. Well, here’s my opinion: It’s okay to love fashion. It’s okay to care about clothes and style. Even if you’re constantly told you don’t belong. Because the more we show up in our bomb ass outfits, infiltrating spaces that don’t want us there, making people turn their heads in awe… the more we will chip away at creating space for more of us to be there. And that’s how I approach fashion in many ways, from attending NYFW to shopping designer to watching the Met Gala every year. I’m part of this industry, whether they want me or not. And I do think that has power.
Inside the exhibit “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty”
Because I go every year, I did go to the Met to see the controversial “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” exhibit. As expected, the exhibit only focused on the clothes and didn’t shed any light on what a hateful person he actually was. A big missed opportunity, but not shocking by any means.
Here’s how The Met describes the exhibit: “Focusing on the designer’s stylistic vocabulary as expressed in aesthetic themes that appear time and again in his fashions from the 1950s to his final collection in 2019, the show will spotlight the German-born designer’s unique working methodology.” It consisted of about 150 pieces and some were accompanied by Karl’s original sketches. There were pieces he designed for Chanel, Balmain, Chloé, Fendi, and his Karl Lagerfeld label.
Set up as a big curved line that walked you through different themes and decades of Karl’s work, the exhibit was organized very beautifully. And, of course, the clothes were amazing to look at. Everything was very black and white, which makes sense given Karl’s personal taste and style. The theme was strong. My main criticism of the exhibit — besides the fact that it completely ignored what kind of person he was — is that all of the mannequins were white. I know this is common and it was for aesthetic purposes, I do think it contributes to idea that fashion is made for white, thin bodies. I always appreciate when an exhibit has brown and/or multicolor mannequins.
Basically, if you can bring yourself to separate the art from the artist (which can be a difficult thing to do) the exhibit was pretty solid. However, I don’t think that makes up for the fact that his legacy was harmfully complicated. Here’s a look inside the exhibit:
You can go see the exhibit now through July 16. You don’t have to get a ticket ahead of time or anything. Once you enter The Met, you join the virtual exhibition queue (there are signs around the ticket line with a QR code on them). Access is first come, first served and subject to capacity. The virtual queue closes daily at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday and at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Related Posts:
“In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” at The MET
“Camp: Notes on Fashion” at The MET
“Heavenly Bodies” at The MET
“Rei Kawakubo / Comme des Garcons” at The MET
What are your thoughts on “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty”?
