NYT: The Roman Spring of Mr. Lagerfeld

September 23, 2010, 11:40 am
By CATHY HORYN

Antonio Calanni/Associated Press Dresses from the spring 2011 Fendi collection in Milan.
In one sense, Karl Lagerfeld was right on message on Thursday at Fendi. He got the memo about longer lengths, soft volumes and a cool, vibrant palette. Let no one say that Mr. Lagerfeld was slacking.

But in another way, this collection hovered above the fray. The perspective was utterly sophisticated — a summer dress in cotton or a microdot cotton or print with lantern sleeves, an open neckline and a belted waist. This is a season of dresses, and Mr. Lagerfeld knew how to make his grown-up and different. There is nothing about these dresses — in colors like pale aqua, coral, and various peony shades, and with those beautiful sleeves, that makes a bid to be liked — to ingratiate with luxury wampum. He doesn’t solicit, Mr. Lagerfeld. But then good designers rarely do.

Was there a twinge of “another time” in this collection? It’s hard to know what Mr. Lagerfeld is able to glimpse in his rear-view mirror because (a) his view is enormous and (b) he is going too fast to catch much. But sometimes a glimpse is enough.

View the full Fendi spring 2011 collection.