Celebrities and the biggest names in fashion came together to pay tribute to late Karl Lagerfeld on June 20. 56 large portraits of the German-born couturier lined the walls at the Grand Palais in Paris — the location of Lagerfeld’s many magnificent Chanel shows.
The tribute was a joyous celebration dubbed “Karl For Ever” designed, directed and staged by theatre and opera director Robert Carsen. In honor of his memory, the celebration showcased a video featuring intimate moments of the designer and testimonies from his inner circle which were taken following Lagerfeld’s death on February 19.
Tilda Swinton
Among the 2,500 guests, actors, models, musicians and celebrity fans of the prolific designer who saw him as a mentor paid homage to him in their own special ways. Friends of the designer, British actress Tilda Swinton, French actress Fanny Ardant, English actress Helen Mirren and model Cara Delevingne read excerpts from works by his favorite authors, such as Virginia Woolf, Stéphane Mallarmé, Colette and Edith Sitwell. Mirren also read funny “Karlisms” from Lagerfeld’s book of quotes The World According to Karl.
Pharrell Williams
Theatrical performances included violinist Charlie Siem (who played Paganini, one of the favorite composers of Lagerfeld’s mother Elizabeth), Argentinian choreographer German Cornejo, accompanied by his troupe of 17 tango dancers and his 7-piece orchestra from Buenos Aires (Carlos Gardel was Lagerfeld’s favorite singer and the tango was his favorite dance), the celebrated pianist Lang Lang (who played Chopin on the grand piano designed by Lagerfeld for the 150th anniversary of Steinway). American artist and Lagerfeld’s friend Pharrell Williams also took the stage to perform a musical number.
Other notable attendees present at the memorial were French First Lady Brigitte Macron, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, models Gigi Hadid and Claudia Schiffer, designers Valentino Garavani, Ralph Lauren and Stella McCartney.
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