Christine Chiu's Collection of Karl Lagerfeld Pieces Tell a Very Personal Story
At yesterday’s Met Gala, Christine Chiu celebrated Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty by donning a red Chanel Haute Couture gown from the fall 2015 collection—an encore of sorts, considering she already wore it, years ago, to a dinner with King Charles, the then Prince of Wales. “One can’t [simply] talk about sustainability in fashion, she must wear it on The Met Gala carpet," Chiu says. "So, I paired the dress with an up-cycled cape made by local artisans from Demi-couture gowns in my closet.”
At 26 years old, not too long out of college, making her own money, and happily married, Chiu first embarked on her epic journey through the Lesage-embroidered world of haute couture, motivated along the way by nostalgia for her own mother’s wardrobe and the legendary genius of Karl Lagerfeld.
“Before I was born, my mother was an international musician and performing artist who wore custom ensembles, including some really beautiful Chanel,” recalls the executive producer and star of Netflix’s three-season hit series Bling Empire. “As a child, seeing those pieces in her closet became part of something that felt good and familiar—now they hang in my closet, and I get to remember her whenever I see them.” In tandem with the relationship to her mother—who passed away in 2021—Chiu was also motivated to launch herself into Lagerfeld’s orbit by her fascination with the man himself. “He was a multi-hyphenate renaissance man—not only a designer and creative director, but an author, photographer, illustrator, and set designer,” she says. “And he did it all simultaneously while designing, at one point, multiple collections for four houses.”
Captivated by his talent, Chiu purchased her very first Chanel Haute Couture pieces around 2009: two pairs of boots that cost 40,000 euros each, a relatively modest sum in comparison to a single look that could run in the hundreds of thousands. “I was just starting my relationship with haute couture and came with so many questions," she says, "but I was most astonished that they put as much energy into making my boots as they would a wedding gown for another client—and the rest is history.”
What endears Lagerfeld most to Chiu is that he was a designer who believed fashion represented a unique slice of time in our collective history. “He was a storyteller and every piece in every collection is indicative of a particular moment," she says, "and whatever inspired him in the moment [that he dreamed it up].” Whether it’s a romantic Chloe dress, an intricately constructed Fendi fur, a dreamily inventive Chanel Haute Couture gown, or a rigorously tailored ensemble from his eponymous label, Chiu views her thoughtfully selected garments in the same way.
“One of my favorite looks from Karl makes me tear up,” she says looking wistfully at the two-piece ensemble from Chanel’s spring 2016 haute couture collection. “It usually takes six to nine months, and up to three fittings, to make a Chanel Haute Couture piece, but this took almost two and a half years to complete.” Because Chiu was undergoing multiple rounds of IVF, the medications wreaked havoc on her physically. “The medications changed my body in so many ways, and with haute couture literally every inch of you is measured.” After the house painstakingly remade the ensemble four times, Chiu was finally able to receive something she likens to a wearable time capsule (in addition to a healthy baby boy born in 2018). “Whenever I look at it, I see my journey and think about my son and how difficult it was to get here, but I also recall the humanity and heart of Karl’s team, and their dedication to his vision, their craft, and to me.”
In homage to Lagerfeld's seven-decade career, Chiu is making sure all the stories he told throughout his countless collections continue to be heard—and seen. The fashion devotee is in discussions with The Met’s Costume Institute about the donation of her Lagerfeld-related pieces, which by her estimation is well into the hundreds (including a significant number of couture pieces). “I want to make sure future generations can continue to be inspired like I have been and will always be.”
You Might Also Like
