Karl Lagerfeld Maison has presented Wellen, its second furniture collection developed under the Maison’s artistic direction, and created in collaboration with furniture designer Toan Nguyen. The name, which in German means ‘waves’, is no coincidence: the collection is a tribute to the fluid lines and sinuous shapes that characterized Karl Lagerfeld‘s fashion sketches, particularly those dating back to the 1970s.
“This new collection celebrates Karl’s multifaceted creativity, drawing inspiration from his legendary fashion sketches and his passion for iconic design and interiors, particularly his Saint Sulpice apartment in the 1970s,2 says Caroline Lebar, SVP Image and Communication, who worked closely with Karl for decades.
For Wellen, Lebar and Nguyen embarked on a journey through the renowned designer’s archives, sifting through hundreds of drawings and sketches in search of inspiration. “For the designs, I went and looked at 500-600 drawings and shared about a hundred with Toan. And from those hundred, we chose about ten,” says Lebar. The result is a collection that blends German rigor with the sensuality of 1970s forms, an era that, as Nguyen points out, represented “a younger Karl.”
Examples include the modular midnight blue velvet sofa, made up of ten elements that can be arranged at will, and the Labradorite Lemurian Blue dining table, with its smooth edges and steel legs reminiscent of conical columns. “The idea is not to make just any collection but is to make a collection that resembles him”, explains Nguyen. And judging by the unexpected colors, the touch of irony, and the attention to detail, Wellen seems to have hit the mark, capturing the essence of Karl Lagerfeld’s unmistakable style.
