'Fashion does not belong in a museum': Look inside the Karl Lagerfeld exhibit at the Met

NEW YORK — "Fashion does not belong in a museum," reads an entryway to a new exhibit celebrating exactly that - the work of the late designer Karl Lagerfeld - at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Lagerfeld shared that sentiment with Metropolitan Museum of Art curator Andrew Bolton when they first met, Bolton said at a press preview for the exhibit on the first Monday in May ahead of the Met Gala.

“He believed fashion was not art — it belonged on the street. So, I really don’t know what he would think of all this! I’m not sure he would come," the curator told the Associated Press over the weekend.

The German-born couturier, who died at 85 in 2019, is not just the center of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute's spring exhibit. Lagerfeld is also the theme for Monday night's annual Met Gala. The dress code, "in honor of Karl," pays tribute to his work as creative director of many fashion houses, including Chanel, Fendi and Chloé.

The museum welcomed dozens of preview attendees to "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty" Monday, with many decked in Chanel or Fendi — looks surely created with intent to honor the fashion titan and his 65 year career. The exhibit opens to the public on Friday.

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Karl Lagerfeld interested in everything 'except mediocrity'

Carla Bruni, the former French first lady who was a close friend of Lagerfeld's, said that he was interested in everything "except mediocrity."

Bolton spoke Monday on the challenges of creating an exhibit dedicated to Lagerfeld, whose career spanned decades. The solution was a thematic representation focused on his work with the idea to provide a glimpse of Lagerfeld's creative process as opposed to a retrospective look.

Set in more than a dozen galleries, the exhibition features contradictory themes including "Romantic Line/Military Line," "Historical Line/Futuristic Line," "Artisanal Line/Mechanical Line," "The Satirical Line" and "Ornamental Line/Structural Line" among others.

The show allows the viewer to be immersed into Lagerfeld's career and legacy, giving a taste of his work life and creative vision.

Lagerfeld's designs serve as the exhibit's the main attraction. Digital elements include an iPhone centric presentation featuring quotes and a recreation of the designer's messy, chaotic workspace — including what looked to be a cup of Diet Coke.

Many of Lagerfeld's sketches, which he was famous for, accompany his designs, bringing the viewer on an accelerated trip from conception to completion.

Designer Thom Browne says 'every person — every young designer' should visit Met exhibit

Designer Thom Browne, who dressed Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker at last year's Met Gala and who recently was noted as part of Time's annual Time 100 list, was among the crowd previewing the exhibit.

"The celebration of 65 years of design every person — every young designer — should see because it shows all the work that just goes into creating what Karl was — the icon that he was," Browne told USA TODAY.

"I think he's inspired all of us — indirectly, directly," Browne said. "Just even his work ethic — the idea of his starting everything from a creative point of view should be inspiring to all of us."

Lagerfeld took a strong interest in fashion during his teen years. After moving to Paris at age 14, Lagerfeld worked under French designer Pierre Balmain as a junior assistant and later as an apprentice.

Following stints with Balmain and Jean Patou’s fashion house, Lagerfeld began designing collections for luxury brands including Chloé, Fendi, Valentino and shoemaker Charles Jourdan. His sartorial stature soared to new heights in the '80s when he revitalized French fashion house Chanel with zeitgeisty looks and launched his own eponymous label.

Lagerfeld became a darling of the celebrity world, gaining the admiration of high-profile stars such as Lady Gaga, Kristen Stewart and Beyoncé. Some of these stars, including Kendall Jenner and Naomi Campbell, paid tribute to the designer's legacy by appearing on a commemorative May cover of Vogue alongside other models he "loved most."

One thing the exhibit didn't focus on was Lagerfeld's own words, apart from those that grace the entryway.

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While Lagerfeld is regarded as an iconic designer – he is also remembered for his unfiltered commentary on migrants, the #MeToo movement and gay men who want to adopt children, to name a few instances.

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What was most interesting to Bolton, he told the Associated Press, was to focus on the work, and that was daunting enough. He examined 10,000 items before slowly winnowing the show down to about 200.

“There could be 10, 20 different shows on Karl," Bolton said. "To me, I thought the way to get to know him better, and understand his contradictions, was through his work.” And at end of the day, he says, “that’s his legacy — the body of work you see here."

"Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty" will be open May 5 through July 16 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Contributing: Edward Segarra, USA TODAY; Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Karl Lagerfeld exhibit to open at Met Museum: Designs, sketches, more