Karl Lagerfeld Launches Collaborations with Cassina

Gio Ponti’s Superleggera chair for Cassina in “An Authentic Eye.” Photo by Karl Lagerfeld/Cassina.

In what counts as his first-ever collaboration with the furniture manufacturer,

Lagerfeld

has lent his celebrated eye – typically at work for the likes of

Chanel

,

Chloé

and

Fendi

– to

Cassina

. He photographed over 30 pieces by the Meda, Italy-based company in both color and black and white for “An Authentic Eye,” a special exhibition that will go on view at their Paris showroom from January 31 through March 10.

“It was a natural accident,” says Gianluca Armento, brand director of Cassina, of how the exhibit came to be. “Mr. Lagerfeld often passes by the Cassina showroom and knows its manager well after purchasing some of our furniture for his home.” The manager suggested collaborating and the rest, as they say, is history.

Lagerfeld hand selected which items to photograph, including the classic Superleggera (“super light”) chair, designed by Gio Ponti in 1957. For the composition, Lagerfeld balanced a cluster of the chairs, known for their razor-thin structure and lightness, one atop the other while resting another on the floor.

“An Authentic Eye” is the first of several partnerships between Cassina and Lagerfeld that will unfold over the coming months, although the details are being kept under wraps. “We’ve talked options and we know that it will be something other than photography,” Armento says. “Mr. Lagerfeld wants to keep it a mystery.” Stay tuned.