THE DAY FASHION DIED: I HAD A TEA PARTY
This week marked the passing of my final favorite fashion designer still living, Karl Lagerfeld. I woke up that morning, grabbed my phone, and read the news via a text sent by my dear friend in France. I shit a brick of sadness, King Karl died. Mister Karl Lagerfeld was a genius who reigned supreme over the house of Chanel since 1983, reforming Chanel into the institution and standard of excellence it is today. For 36 years, this iconic man created around eight collections a year for Chanel alone, not to mention countless collections and collaborations with other fashion houses as well. Beyond this incredible accomplishment, Karl Lagerfeld was also at the creative helm of Fendi beginning in 1965 and later had fashion labels under his own name. Karl Lagerfeld, in my young eyes, was such an inspired and free individual. Lagerfeld lived his life according to his own rules; he embodied to me that personal freedom could be achieved through creativity. Karl Lagerfeld never seemed to care about superficial or social opinions that could be placed on him, King Karl did his thing and no one else’s.
“One day it will be over, and I don’t care.”
I don’t see myself as a Lagerfeld expert, but more so a Lagerfeld admirer. I admire people who create their own beautiful worlds, it is the job of a fashion designer to craft the image of a world people want to exist in. Chanel under Lagerfeld was the perfect concoction of using the best of classic Chanel DNA while creating a freshly luxurious and modern world for women to take part in. Karl Lagerfeld was my cup of tea and I enjoyed sampling his flavor from time to time. Be it an old documentary on his lavish life, or a simple YouTube video of him sketching the history of Fendi, he imparted incredible inspiration onto me with many of his words, quotes and interviews. I certainly never got to meet Karl Lagerfeld, but I’m glad I discovered such a unique soul, a soul that embodies a legacy that will continue to inspire me, and inspire so many people for generations to come.
Question: So why did I throw an impromptu Karl Lagerfeld memorial tea party?
Answer: Because I’m ridiculous and I love tea parties....my Mom also did all the work and took me saying “We should have a Karl Lagerfeld memorial tea party” seriously. We were having a tea party with a friend of mine that day anyway. Miss Kimberly Wills always makes it nice, and I am spoiled.
LETS TALK TEA DARLING
DECOR:
For all my fine china people out there, we used a vintage Lenox in the pattern “Eclipse” which I love because it has a vaguely Versace tone: a classic Lenox with a dash of fashion. Loves it. The Lenox Eclipse was accented by a pair black, glass candle sticks and a black, glass platter. Silver spoons stirred the tea (as they should) and clear, glass pieces added a neutral balance to the display.
“I’m very much down to Earth. Just not this Earth.”
DESSERT:
(From top)
Opera Torte
Espresso soaked almond sponge cake, chocolate ganache, and a coffee and hazelnut mousse.
Chocolate Raspberry Torte
Chocolate sponge cake, dark chocolate ganache, raspberry pate de fruit, macerated raspberries, 88% chocolate mousse, with a milk chocolate raspberry glaze.
Mystic Cream Pie
An elegant and more sophisticated version of the Boston cream pie.
All deserts were purchased from Sift bakery in Mystic, CT. I loved both the chocolate raspberry and the opera torte anyway. I love the taste of raspberries on my taste buds as much as the sweet flavor of almond. Lastly, who doesn’t love a fancied version of a Boston cream?
MACARONS:
I wouldn’t be my best Blair Waldorf if I didn’t have some artisanal macaroons, which I also picked up at Sift. Fabulous macarons; the flavor Rosewater tasted like the Ocean House in Watch Hill (random, but I’m being serious) and the coconut was simply hella good.
The Last Word:
All and all, the Karl Lagerfeld memorial tea party was lovely no matter how silly it may have seemed. An excuse for tea with friends is always welcome, no matter how morbid the excuse may be. Humor aside, Karl Lagerfeld will be missed by people like myself who admired his eccentricities, wit, confidence, creativity, and over the top individuality. Lagerfeld was a creative and commercial genius, lasting as a relevant figure in fashion through countless seamless reinventions. It gives my heart joy knowing that our dear King Karl is up there with Coco Chanel dressing the angels.