The White Shirt Project plays homage to Karl Lagerfeld’s love of the Wardrobe staple. Ingie Chalhoub shares more on joining the initiative
Karl Lagerfeld’s death last year was one of the biggest losses the fashion industry has suffered. The outspoken designer became a living legend thanks to his unique approach to design and his ability to perfectly combine tradition and the modern day. Lagerfeld worked for 36 years at Chanel, and over fifty years at Fendi, as well as launching his own-named brand in 1984, so his legacy will surely live on through the visions he created.
The latest project by the house of Karl Lagerfeld is doing just this. A Tribute to Karl: The White Shirt Project celebrates one of Lagerfeld’s most beloved styles: the white shirt. A wardrobe staple that the designer reworked again and again – modernising the classic shape while continuing to keep its undeniable elegance. For this project, a group of 50 artists, actors, designers, models and friends of Karl Lagerfeld were invited to create their own interpretation of the white shirt. The group includes many well-known names such as Cara Delevingne, Kate Moss, Lewis Hamilton, Tommy Hilfiger, Carine Roitfeld and from the Middle East; Ingie Chalhoub – founder of INGIE Paris.
Each of the participants was presented with a classic Lagerfeld white shirt and invited to interpret it in a way that embodied their own style. The project was originally launched during Paris Fashion Week, with a celebration at Lagerfeld’s Paris residence that saw all fifty of the contributors attend. Seven of the final designs will be replicated seventy-seven times and sold for charity at a price of seven hundred and seventy seven Euros as a homage to Lagerfeld’s favourite number; seven. All proceeds of the shirt sales will be donated to the French charity Sauver la Vie which funds medical research at the Paris Descartes University – a cause that Lagerfeld supported for many years.
The final shirts were displayed at an exhibition in Paris during Paris Fashion Week. This exhibition then travelled around the world, with the first stop in Dubai. As the shirts arrived in the UAE for a limited time only, it seemed very fitting that we found the opportunity to talk to Dubai-based designer Ingie Chalhoub who was representing the Middle East in this project. Chalhoub’s standout design features and array of feathers and lace – combining her own unique design style with the elegance and sophistication of Lagerfeld’s white shirt. When we m
et with her in Dubai, Chalhoub spoke of her admiration for Lagerfeld and why she decided to be part of this special project.
What inspired your design and why did you decide to be part of this project?
I’m so proud and honoured to be invited to join this project. I have always admired Karl Lagerfeld very much. I believe he was one of the few designers of this century who successfully brought modernity to the classic chic style and at the same time created pieces that were beautiful with a touch of femininity. This is what I wanted to bring to my design. I wanted to capture the DNA of INGIE Paris while keeping in mind the identity of Karl Lagerfeld’s style. So I created something that was simple and chic, yet glamorous and feminine. The whole idea was really to create a shirt that combines the two brands as well as being something that can be worn in many different ways.
You used feathers on your design, what inspired this?
My previous ready-to-wear collection was created around feathers and embroidery so I decided to bring this to my white shirt design. I wanted to keep the link between my own brand and this project and I felt this was the right way to do it.
How do you envision the shirt being worn?
In a very cool and modern way. Either with blue jeans, white pants or with a pencil skirt. It should be worn in a very simple way because the design is already quite busy so you need to break it up with something chic and cool.
What does a white shirt represent to you?
It represents an individual that is very confident and bold and suggests that a woman is strong and bold yet modern and contemporary when she wears it.
How has Karl Lagerfeld influenced you as a designer?
I have always admired Karl a lot. I think he will leave a big legacy in the fashion industry. His designs have always been undeniably modern and contemporary yet classic and elegant. Since he started with Chanel I have followed his path and I have worked very closely with the brand as well as many of the other brands he has worked for and I’ve always been very impressed by what he did.
What’s been the reaction since this project was first presented in Paris?
I was very happy because it seems that a lot of people admired my shirt in Paris. I heard Anna Wintour was actually one of them! As well as Gigi Hadid and Suzy Menkes. I’ve had some really nice compliments about my shirt. I’m very proud to have been part of this project. The event itself took place in his residence in Paris so that was so emotional. We all gathered under the same roof inside his house and it was really special.
What’s in the pipeline for INGIE Paris?
I just came back from Paris where I showcased my latest collection. It was amazing and I had great response to it. I had a lot of people coming to buy the collection after the show. I feel like each season I’m getting better and better and this is the way I want to go to reach higher and higher levels of success.
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