Lagerfeld takes London and the world stands by

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Lagerfeld has officially touched down in London town, and the sultan of the fashion new order knows every in and every out of the capital city, indicating, soon after his Britannic invasion, that it is one of the most exciting cities in the world. Glass decided to immerse itself in Karl’s sleek, state-of-the-art world during the launch of his European flagship store on Regent Street, and quite the immersion it became, after all, when the immortal design force does concept, he rarely cuts corners.

Within an instance of setting foot on the vast jet-black carpet that ushered into the new store, Karl’s biggest European retail space to date, dominating 250m² over two glistening floors, we became accosted by Karl’s first coup, signing a digital guestbook in order to notify the world that we had checked in, making sure to leave a special note for the man of the hour.

This will be just one of the captivating digital pathways that you can explore when visiting the cutting-edge wonderland, and with a presence set to attract the upwards of 70 million that visit the landmark street year round, it’s the ultimate attraction for Lagerfeld’s cavalry of world-wide groupies. The up-to-the-minute technical capers that the teeming boutique boasts include Ipad minis positioned on display racks, allowing customers to view complete looks and entire collections online, and along with this, fitting rooms include photobooth displays, making it possible to share your new discovery in just a second, meaning it won’t need to stay under wraps for very long.

CPU bravado aside, Glass couldn’t help becoming tickled by the limited edition mini-Karl statuettes strewn throughout the retail space, and with only 1,500 in the whole world they took the prize when it came to the abundance of collectable keepsakes and merry memorabilia for the history books. The Lagerfeld zone, “a fantastic representation of our brand’s aesthetic” according to CEO Pier Paolo Righi, currently features a limited edition ode to our shores, with a novelty Union Jack inspired capsule collection, but will serve to house a bevy of luxuries in future, from the designers eponymous label, providing RTW for men and women, watches, eye-wear, footwear, along with estimable selections of leather goods.

Backed by LAGERFELD, a line of casual but refined urban menswear, Karl’s prowess only increases, and as we liaised with the cavalry of doppelgänger representatives stationed around the store we managed to get a first-hand glimpse at the creatives newest uniforms that they were attired in.

The attendants also tempted us to sample a spritz of Karl’s new line of premium fragrances, a sporty, young, playful and punchy scent; the apophthegm of King K himself, who claims that “perfume is like fashion for the nose”. The perfumed spirit, another addition to the designer’s creative lineage, was the spark that ignited the most apparent media hype during the London-based requisition, and a star-studded assemblage was case in point.

The VIP revelries began with an exclusive cocktail party from six o’clock to christen the new store, with a flow of celebrity well-wishers arriving by Lagerfeld brand cabs, and of course, the flesh-and-blood incarnation of Lagerfeld himself, striking up an unbridled media frenzy as guests such as Lady Amanda Harlech, Arizona Muse, David Gandy and many more circulated throughout. The atmosphere was just to Karl’s definitive taste, especially once he invited his guests to make their way to The Penthouse at Harrods Knightsbridge to treat themselves to an intimate dinner marking the exclusive launch of the aforesaid fragrances at Harrods.

Special guests including, Cara Delevingne, of course, teamed with, Suki Waterhouse, Amber Le Bon, Marc Newson, and Alexandra Shulman, among the many, were situated in a chic monochrome mien and once the ritzy night drew to a close, they jumped at the chance to leave with a goodie bag packed with the signature fragrance, a “Kwilted” handbag, and lastly a Karl Lagerfeld timepiece. Touching on his indomitable presence, Harrods beauty representative Mia Collins expresses her anticipation for the future of the fragrances, which are now available exclusively at Harrods, assuring that the world of Lagerfeld “is translated beautifully to the fragrance duo through sophisticated and modern juices”. And London, now placed ever more so significantly on the map, may just about never be the same again.

by Liam Feltham

Photographs by Liam Feltham

Karl Lagerfeld  flagship store, 145-147, Regent Street, London