Karl Lagerfeld Fall 2021

Is there anything more Karl Lagerfeld than Lagerfeld himself, whose penchant for neat shirts, snazzy tailoring, slim jeans and dark glasses never wavered?

Cue Karl x Karl, part of the fall 2021 collection that pays homage to the late designer’s graphic personal style — right down to dark denim printed with his famous cameo in the guise of a camo print. The custom-made smocks he wore for sleeping and sketching are interpreted as a soigné shirtdress with tuxedo smocking.

And although the designer ditched his fan when the new millennium arrived, here is a chance to snap up a brooch or evening bag in a motif synonymous with the German designer.

At a time when many brands are leaning into heritage, the design team also took inspiration from three of Lagerfeld’s favorite movies: “Grand Hotel,” “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” and “Babylon Berlin,” all set in the 1920s and 1930s.

This yielded a fine and focused collection of sharp, long-line tailoring, vaguely flapper-ish dresses, knife-pleated faux leather skirts, swing coats and faux-fur bomber jackets. Unisex items included a terrific black leather puffer jacket.

The design studio also created an Art Deco-style monogram that Lagerfeld himself could have sketched, and this repeated on everything from pussy-bow blouses and puff-sleeved sweatshirts to backpacks and tote bags.

The brand has weaned itself off of caricatures of Lagerfeld and his pampered cat Choupette, and found its groove in sleek leather goods, more original than in the past and still playful at times. A new version of its K/Signature bag, a structured messenger style, has been puffed up and softened in the manner of a Claes Oldenburg sculpture.

Launch Gallery: Karl Lagerfeld RTW Fall 2021