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Karl Lagerfeld is collaborating with the LVHM-prize winner and designer, Archie Alled Martinez, for a queer-themed capsule collection. For the capsule, the dynamic duo has produced an apparel collection consisting of flared jeans, long kilts, and slogan tees.
This marks Martinez's first collaboration with a high-end luxury designer, who has always been an inspiration for him. The collection is set to launch on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 on Farfetch, and will be released worldwide on June 16, 2022 on the official e-commerce site of Zolando, Karl, Martinez, and a select few physical stores of Karl Lagerfeld.
Who is Archie Alled Martinez, the Spanish designer collaborating with Karl Lagerfeld?
Archie M. Alled Martinez was born in Barcelona and raised there until the age of 19, when he moved to London. He attended Central Saint Martins and graduated in 2018 from the MA Fashion Knitwear program.
He was also one of the L'Oreal Professional scholarship recipients in the same year. Later in August 2018, he moved to Paris after winning the LVHM Graduate prize and worked at Givenchy until June 2019. He later launched his first solo collection at the Paris Men's Fashion Week, SS20.
Martinez started his eponymous label, which is known for its knitwear technology, which reflects his creative idiom as a designer and the references that shaped him as the designer he is now. According to the site's introduction,
"Alled-Martinez is born a knitwear brand that intends to challenge the audience on what the limits of traditional knitwear are, creating a collection where every item is knitted."
The clothing brand is also known for its genderless and inclusive silhouettes. The label derives inspiration from the elements and references of the 70s and 80s such as the late night Parisian scenes and their initial punk elements and forays into the questions from the past to assess how it would fit in the present. The site explains,
"We started looking at the Night scene in Paris in the late 70s and 80s and its people; it was a time were a young and wild “initial punk” generation mixed up in the same time and space with the aristocracy of the time. That mix of something Elevated but with a Debauched touch really inspired what the label is all about."
Alled Martinez was grateful for his first high-end collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld, a designer who has been an influence to him and kindled his passion for fashion. In an interview with WWD, the designer stated:
“I just share his vision or his way of seeing clothing, or clothes-making, I suppose. It was really magic to be given the opportunity to sort of continue his legacy in a way.”
Alled Martinez interpreted Karl's brand essence through a genderless and queer lens. The collection is not part of the Pride Month initiative, but it includes shirts with "Fluidity" lettering, sparkly knee shorts, and tight candy-apple red flare pants for both men and women.
Martinez's collection is special in that he identifies as a queer designer. As per WWD, Martinez shared the following on the topic,
“I consider myself an advocate. Nowadays, you really have to have a message. I feel that in our industry it’s our duty to have a voice, you know, to represent something, to stand for something.”
Martinez launched his signature label back in 2020 for the SS20 season and is currently working for the spring 2023 collection, which will be presented during the Paris Fashion Week on June 26, 2022.
More about the upcoming Karl Lagerfeld x Alled Martinez collection
Conceived by Archie Alled Martinez, the collaborative collection was created by Martinez, Hun Kim, Karl Lagerfeld's design director, and Carinne Roitfeld, Karl Lagerfeld's style consultant. The collection consists of an apparel collection, accessories line, and footwear. The introduction to the collection reads that it is a celebration of the brand's Parisian-Chic aesthetic as it,
“Reimagines the late designer’s vision through a queer perspective."
Talking about the collaboration, Alled Martinez commented in a press release,
“This collection is a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld himself, to fashion and to the iconic fashion moments from the early 00s that left a mark on me while growing up. The collaboration came naturally; I brought some daringness to Karl’s rigor and style. At its core is the belief that fashion needs to be real. There’s no right or wrong – it’s about knowing and celebrating who you are”.
The genderless collection includes knit suits, jerseys, lurez suit, and sparkling sequin pieces. The accessories line includes: bowling bags, rings, tote bags, driving gloves, and more. Style advisor Carine Roitfeld, talked in a press release about the collaborative capsule,
“I immediately fell in love with Archie’s knitted suits. Archie’s universe is modern and humorous, and his designs have an easy-to-wear feeling. Karl also had a great sense of humor, and I’m sure they would have had an amazing time together. What’s more, Karl loved jersey. For many reasons, I was sure that Alled-Martinez and Karl Lagerfeld would be a great match”.
For the collection, the young designer Martinez, produced white zip-up polo shirts, that reached upto the Adam's apple. He also produced bowling handbags and athletic jerseys that featured Karl's lucky number 7. Carine Roitfeld further talked about the collection's no-gender approach,
“Also, Karl liked to do things he never did before and this collection was totally no-gender. We really pushed this idea very far in the campaign images. I love the idea of a sexy boy and girl in the same outfit. It’s very young, too. It’s very wearable for the new generations.”
Another key piece in the collection is the tee that features Roitfeld's name branding. Alled Martinez named the shirts in honor of Lagerfeld's entourage and creative collaborators. A "Team Karl" slogan tee is also available.
The collaborative Karl Lagerfeld x Alled-Martinez collection will be launched on the Farfetch site on June 15, 2022, with a global launch the following day, on June 16, 2022, on Karl Lagerfeld's official e-commerce site.
The collection will also be available on Zalando's website and at select Karl Lagerfeld stores. Regent Street in Paris and London are among the select stores. It will also be sold at the brand's outlets Paris' Rue Vieille du Temple in the Marais neighborhood.
