My grandma told me: do something well, don’t simply try. You must immerse yourself in that world. She was an immaculate seamstress, constantly learning new techniques and staying up to date with the latest clothing trends. My grandma was always creating clothing keepsakes for her family. Every time I stopped by she would have a fashion magazine for inspiration, and we’d scour over the images together, looking for inspiration. Karl Lagerfeld’s world of Chanel was one of her favorites. It’s no wonder I have such an affinity for fashion photography. Books like Robert Fairer’s Karl Lagerfeld Unseen: The Chanel Years substitutes as the next best thing to the appreciation I felt while admiring his work with my grandmother.
My grandma’s wisdom has always stuck with me. I strive for excellence and, as a photographer, that means immersing myself in that world. Studying the greats and paying attention to trends is vital. However, real-life experience is always the best guide.
Karl Lagerfeld Unseen: The Chanel Years is designed to be an indulgent coffee table book for anyone who loves fashion. Photographers will especially appreciate the intimate look into the mastermind of Karl Lagerfeld. It’s easy to get lost in.
Table of Contents
Legendary Insight
The book opens with personal accounts from Lagerfeld’s inside circle. Those stories briefly chronicle the icon’s early career and then dive into the meticulous mastermind who modernized Chanel.
Karl was on the beating pulse and had extraordinary intuition of where the fashion industry was heading. Like my grandma, he immersed himself in Chanel’s magical world and devoured every last obsessive detail. He managed to uphold its iconic status while also putting his own stamp on it.
My job is not to do what {Coco} did, but what she would have done. The good thing about Chanel is it is an idea you can adapt to many things.
Karl Lagerfeld
Fairer’s intimate, behind-the-scenes images give users a backstage pass to some of fashion’s most influential talents on and off the runway. It’s a star-studded cast. Images of the legendary Lagerfeld, always with a soda in his hand, make him feel the slightest bit accessible. You get a taste of the sheer force that still drives fashion and the gears behind the multi-billion dollar empire.
For someone like me, that world still seems unattainable. However, the images bring a human element. It leads me to believe it’s still possible for anyone born outside of fashion royalty to make it if they work relentlessly.
Timeless Influence
Karl Lagerfeld Unseen: The Chanel Years boasts nearly 300 of John Fairer’s images, spanning his tenure from 1994-2007. Lagerfeld retained the iconic status of one of the most prominent fashion houses. And then he wove his stamp into the fabric, as all legends do. You will find references to history and cinema throughout the pop culture he influenced.
Fashion is the spirit you give things to make them evolve.
Karl Lagerfeld
Robert Fairer matches his worksuit with Lagerfeld and captures the production with intention. His images dictate every bit of fantasy and highlight every exorbitant dollar spent. Thumbing through the collections and reminiscing on how this body of work influenced the world is mesmerizing.
It’s All In The Details
Robert Fairer’s experience with major fashion magazines is brought to life in this book. In one image, he blurs the lines between lifestyle and fashion to give viewers a sense of the experience.
The next spread hones in on the intricate details that bring the entire look together. And then, he pulls it all together and photographs it as if it were an ad campaign.
Every Moment with Karl was a master class in refinement.
André Leon Talley
The result is timeless images with loads of inspiration. Photographers can study his use of lighting, angles, and composition. The pairing of Fairer’s images with Lagerfeld’s exquisite art is powerful. More importantly, there’s a key lesson on refinement throughout the book.
In the beginning, we want to learn how to do everything and often times we throw it together haphazardly. Just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should. Refinement is evidence of our growth, and the pages of this book exude it.
Inspirational
I so admired Karl for his complete and unfaltering respect for technique and craftsmanship in his profession. I also admired how his mind worked, aligning world history with the history of modern cinema, literature, and poetry. Every moment with Karl was an exciting tutorial.
André Leon Talley
Karl Lagerfeld Unseen: The Chanel Years is a fantastic resource packed with abundant inspiration for styling, lighting, and composition all aspiring fashion photographers can appreciate. Even commercial and product photographers can glean useful methods from Fairer’s tight crops. It’s a firsthand lesson of taking established inspiration, and learning to make it your own.
This exquisite book can be purchased for $85 on Amazon. If that’s not quite in your budget, I recommend seeing if it’s available for viewing at your favorite book store or library. The large images create an immersive experience and pair well with your favorite latte.
Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel portfolio will never go out of style and will always have influence. Robert Fairer’s images are exquisite and inspirational. He photographs with intention. His combination of lifestyle, commercial, and intimate behind-the-scenes imagery make for an absorbing afternoon.