Evening suit

House of Chanel|Karl Lagerfeld

fall/winter 2003–4 · a) wool, silk; b) silk · Costume Institute

Mrs. Kempner irreverently mixed designers and collections by introducing a lace-trimmed blouse by Valentino to Lagerfeld's "Le Look Concierge." Lagerfeld's four-ply cashmere evening cardigan is the designer's sly reference to Paul Poiret's description of the austerely modernist Chanel style as misérablisme de luxe. Mrs. Kempner has paired it with a chiffon version of Lagerfeld's popular "Car Wash" skirt from another collection. As Valentino was quoted in the 16 January 1994 Independent, "Mrs. Kempner is one of the few women who knows how to mix old and new, different designers, and make it superb."

Artist

House of Chanel|Karl Lagerfeld

Date

fall/winter 2003–4

Medium

a) wool, silk; b) silk

Culture

French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Gift of Thomas L. Kempner, 2006