Karl Lagerfeld launches Kenneth Ize collab with Carine Roitfeld curation

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jul 5, 2021

Wednesday will see the launch of a Karl Lagerfeld-Kenneth Ize capsule collection that has been curated by the Paris-based brand’s style advisor Carine Roitfeld. 

The collection of largely-gender-neutral pieces comes in the label’s signature black and white palette with pops of bright colour, and the Ize connection is clear from the inspiration that’s drawn from traditional aso oke cloth. All the fabrics used throughout the accessories are sourced from Nigeria, where Ize’s business is based. 

Karl Lagerfeld CEO Pier Paolo Righi said Ize was chosen as he shares Lagerfeld’s “vision for innovation, craftsmanship, quality and authenticity”.

With prices starting at £85/€99 and rising to £600/€695, the collection will be available in the Paris Saint Germain and Regent Street, London Karl Lagerfeld physical stores, as well as via the Lagerfeld webstore, plus Farfetch and the Browns online store.

As mentioned, the collection mixes Nigerian and European style with the company saying it includes “eye-catching prints with smart silhouettes”.

Lagerfled’s design director Hun Kim worked with Ize on what’s said to be a “sophisticated intersection of two worlds” to produce “a glowing celebration of culture and elevated design”.

The ready-to-wear includes a range of tailored separates, knitted tops and pants, “flowing silhouettes and sharp, casual pieces that can easily be worn with more sophisticated looks”. 

Pieces include a black and white swirl-print shirt made from 100% silk; matching pants in a unique Italian hemp; bright, vertical striped sweaters in a Merino wool-cotton mix; and a tailored blazer with tonal topstitch detailing. 

All leather used for the accessories complies with stringent environmental and sourcing standards set by the Leather Working Group (LWG). 

Ize said working on the collection “allowed me to play with the brand’s existing style codes and expand my own approach to design”.

And Roitfeld added that “there’s a freshness to Kenneth’s designs that is so very different, and it creates a nice contrast to the brand’s DNA. I’m certain that Karl would have loved the collection and its exploration of colour and culture”.