Karl Lagerfeld at Chloé: the secret exhibition that will set Paris ablaze
This summer, Paris is set to host an unprecedented retrospective of Karl Lagerfeld‘s Chloé creations. And some of the pieces will be on sale.
A decade of Lagerfeld fashion finally revealed
From July 3 to 10, 2025, the Bonhams Cornette de Saint-Cyr private mansion in the 8ᵉ arrondissement will be exhibiting nearly 80 vintage pieces from Karl Lagerfeld ‘s collections for Chloé between 1974 and 1984. A period often overshadowed by his career at Chanel, but which was decisive in the evolution of his stylistic label.
Fluidity, romanticism and visual audacity define these silhouettes, designed for a free-spirited woman, both sweet and impertinent. The highlight of the show? A sumptuous ivory embroidered dress from the Spring-Summer 1984 collection, Karl’s last line before leaving the company. This dress crystallizes the essence of femininity according to Chloé, as reinvented by Lagerfeld.
Free exhibition… but with a collector’s twist
The event, which is totally free of charge, is more than just an exhibition. Some pieces will be offered for sale, a rarity in the luxury world. These are not mere collector’s items, but carefully preserved fragments of couture heritage, now available for purchase by enlightened enthusiasts or museum institutions.
According to Hubert Felbacq, head of fashion at Bonhams, this Chloé period represents an “archaeology of Lagerfeld’s creative freedom”. It was at this precise moment that the couturier forged the visual language that would mark all his future houses.
A world tour after Paris
After Paris, the exhibition will fly to Tokyo and Dubai in the autumn. This is a deliberate strategy of cultural and commercial dissemination, where fashion becomes mobile and fluid, in the image of these light dresses from the 1980s. The tour will give worldwide exposure to this little-known facet of the German designer’s work, in a move to revitalize his history.
The event also reinforces Chloé ‘s positioning as a heritage house, capable of summoning the past to better illuminate the present, and appealing to a new generation of collectors sensitive to the story behind the clothes.
This exceptional exhibition-sale of Karl Lagerfeld’s creations for Chloé promises to be one of the most eagerly awaited fashion events of the Paris summer. A unique opportunity to see, understand and acquire pieces that have marked the history of luxury ready-to-wear.
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