ART OF GLASS: Karl Lagerfeld can now sip his Diet Coke from a glass of his own design — and one handblown in Sweden, no less. For his first foray into crystal, the designer teamed up with Orrefors, which will launch a co-branded range of glasses and vessels in September in Europe and in mid-October at Bloomingdale’s in the U.S. Lagerfeld hosted a lunch in Paris on Tuesday to unveil the project; four pristine white tables were laid out with his streamlined stemware, a circle of white roses as the centerpiece. Noticing that even the humblest of cups get their own saucers, Lagerfeld created sleek, monogrammed coasters for his angular Champagne flutes, wine and water glasses to keep table linens immaculate. Lagerfeld — who noted that his last name is Swedish — lauded the haute craftsmanship of Orrefors, founded in 1898. “It’s not like cheap perfume bottles,” he said. Indeed, prices run from about 90 euros, or $131.50 at current exchange rates, for a Champagne flute up to 1,100 euros, or $1,600, for a large vase.
Related Galleries
MORE FOR GAP: Diane von Furstenberg’s capsule collection for GapKids and babyGap will be available beginning in March and will include products for baby girls up to age two and for girls from ages two to 14. Some unisex baby items will also be available.
Gap said the collection will be sold at GapKids and babyGap stores in almost 30 countries, including the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Italy, France, China, Japan and Australia, as well as online in 75 countries. The collaboration was first reported by WWD last month. Art Peck, president of Gap brand North America, said the collection applies von Furstenberg’s “signature approach to print, optimistic color and femininity, mixed with our expertise in great quality premium children’s clothing at accessible prices.” Von Furstenberg’s appearance as guest designer for Gap follows Stella McCartney, who created two collections for Gap Kids and babyGap.
THE MCCARTNEY ERA: Speaking of Stella McCartney, the clan was out in force on Monday night in London for a private view of archive photographs by the late Linda McCartney at Phillips de Pury & Co. Sir Paul, Stella and Mary McCartney greeted guests including Sam Taylor-Wood, Luella Bartley, Lily Cole, Sir Peter Blake — who designed the “Sgt. Pepper’s” album cover — and Tracey Emin. The show, which runs until June 16, features shots of the family in the Scottish countryside, and portraits of the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones and Mick Jagger. The 26 images are taken from an archive of 200,000, and the gallery is selling limited edition prints. Linda McCartney died in 1998.
“I’ve used these photographs for years as inspiration — not literally — but their spirit,” said Stella McCartney. “I know them so well, and I’m glad other people can see them, too. I really wanted my mother to have a moment again — it’s been a while.”
McCartney said one of her favorites is a shot of a whiskey bottle standing next to a baby’s bottle. It was the Seventies, after all. “I love the humor and the irony,” she said.
MUSE, TOO: Sofia Coppola, who collaborates with Louis Vuitton on a small line of bags and shoes, is extending her influence to the ready-to-wear department. The filmmaker is expected to be on hand today for the presentation of Vuitton’s resort collection, which was inspired by her personal style. While Coppola didn’t design the collection, her American-in-Paris flair was the jumping-off point for Vuitton’s design team.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ANTHROPOLOGIE: Anthropologie is getting ready to occupy the Loews Tower East movie theater at Third Avenue and 71st Street, which closed at the end of last year. Anthropologie will open a 15,000-square-foot store on two levels. This will be the brand’s fifth unit in Manhattan. A spokeswoman said the store will bow in the fall. TD Bank leased 4,000 square feet on the southwest corner of Third Avenue and 72nd Street. “Our challenge was to find a replacement tenant for a movie theater that was in operation for 50 years that would best suit the residents of Tower East and the neighborhood,” said Gene Spiegelman, a broker at Cushman & Wakefield.
HIT AND MISS: Marion Cotillard, who gave birth to her first child last month, is already back in front of the camera. The face of the Lady Dior bag shot the spots in Paris for the new Miss Dior bag, slated to launch at the end of July. Paparazzi caught the Oscar-winning actress on the Place de la Concorde in Paris as a sizable photo crew captured her and the chain-handled shoulder bag. The ads are slated to break in August issues.