The Kaiser's Entourage



We like big personalities. Style mavens who can only be properly construed as "beaucoup." The people whom celebrities obsequiously emulate (The Corsair sparks a Schimmelpenninck Mono Cigarillo Natural). Tastemakers, from behind the scenes, you see. Influencers who make the A-Listers squeal, like when Madonna couldn't contain herself upon visiting Queen Elizabeth.

So Karl Lagerfeld, who lost weight on an eccentric horse-flesh, tomatoes and Diet Coke diet, is like a big crazydelicious gift from the blog-gods. And the man-debutante gloves? What the fuck is up with that? Everything he does is covered in a weirdly tasteful freakshow bedazzlement. Like this, from Fashionweekdaily:

"Casa Tua translates to 'your house' in Italian, which made this famed Miami restaurant an even more perfect venue for a Chanel dinner in honor of Karl Lagerfeld. On Wednesday night, the homey space really belonged to everyone--the 70 or so Chanel staffers flown in from Paris to stage this evening's cruise collection show poolside at the Raleigh Hotel, a smattering of editors, a few celebrities, and, bien sur, Karl's notorious entourage. Don't speak French? Tant pis.

"Out of respect for the Kaiser, few wore anything but his handwork--and those who made do with mere accessories stuck with cocktail dresses in innocuous shades of Lagerfeld-approved black and white. In head-to-toe Chanel: Diane Kruger, Zoe Kravitz, Anna Mouglalis, Irina Lazareanu, Joana Preiss, Lady Amanda Harlech...the beloved designer must've been on muse overload.

"... When Lagerfeld finally made his grand entrance flanked by Stephen Gan, Ingrid Sischy, and Sandy Brant (making a brief stop before heading to Cannes), and more attendants that one could accurately count, he promptly took his seat in the restaurant's main room before deciding that it was too bright. 'We should move,' he said, and the staff scurried to set up a table on the considerably darker patio as he sat down between Harlech and Patricia Riekel.

"Halfway into the meal of farro and haricots verts, pappardelle with lamb ragu, grilled turbot and seared lamb chops, Lagerfeld relaxed enough to act a bit out of character.

"'He removed his glasses!' a stunned Rue Cambon staffer said incredulously. In unison: 'C'est pas vrai!' The even stranger thing? They stayed off until dessert."

C'est si bon. Can you just imagine this clusterfuck of egos -- a veritable Council of Style Bishops -- hanging on the every utterance of The Kaiser? Lagerfeld's like the fashion-Pope, people. So genius. More here.