In their second eco collaboration, Karl Lagerfeld x Amber Valletta continues to promote sustainability and classic style.
Amber Valletta partnered with the iconic Lagerfeld label last year on a sustainable collection featuring cactus leather bags and accessories. In the duo’s latest collection, the sustainable leather is back, and this time it’s paired up with organic cotton and recycled linen as well as a circular material from Tencel x Refibra.
The collection features leather from Desserto, a Mexican firm that’s turned cacti into leather used in the last Valletta x Lagerfeld collection. It has also partnered with German automaker BMW on sustainable leather interiors that should soon be available to the industry at large. Desserto says it does not use any herbicides or pesticides on its cactus and the crop requires no irrigation.
Karl Lagerfeld x Amber Valletta capsule
Equally as important as its sustainability considerations, Valletta says classic styles encapsulate the spirit of the collection. “It was important that the collection be designed with timelessness in mind since this idea is closely tied with sustainability and extending the life of our clothes,” she told WWD.
“This capsule collection truly reflects my style — timeless, sustainable and relaxed,” Valletta said. “Karl’s iconic influence is at the core of this collection. We designed it to be effortlessly chic where the pieces could be interchangeable with multiple looks.”
“I think that each piece is desirable,” she added. “The whole collection was mindfully designed and produced while selecting fabrics that used natural fibers with third-party certifications.”
The ’90s supermodel has been an outspoken advocate for sustainable fashion along the lines of Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood.
In 2019, Karl Lagerfeld signed the G7 Fashion Pact, committing to environmental goals.
Amber Valletta, sustainability ambassador
The new collection comes after Valletta was named the sustainability ambassador for the fashion house last October.
“I am thrilled for the opportunity to help progress the sustainability journey that has already begun at Karl Lagerfeld,” Valletta said last year. “It feels like a wonderful and natural homage to Karl, as he was such an innovator himself.”
The role sees her serve as a key consultant across its sustainability efforts. Valletta is also an ambassador for One x One, The Conscious Design Initiative in a partnership with the UN. She is also the first-ever sustainability contributing editor for British Vogue.
“Working with Amber has pushed us to think outside of the box even more when it comes to innovation and design,” said Pier Paolo Righi, chief executive officer of Karl Lagerfeld, which is aiming to “continuously improve how we move through the world with sustainability at the forefront of our values.”
“For me,” said Valletta, “it will always be innovation and creativity that solves fashion’s challenges in this sector.”
According to the Lagerfeld team, it chose production facilities as close to fabric suppliers as possible to reduce its environmental impact.
Design award
Following their launch last year, animal rights organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) gave Karl Lagerfeld its German PETA fashion award. Long known for its use of fur, the label was awarded the prize for Best Designer Piece for the special edition K/Kushion Bag, made with cactus leather. It’s also made with recycled materials and organic pigment dyes.
“This award is an honor and proves that environmentally conscious styles can be just as chic and fashion-forward,” said Valletta. “I am sure we can continue to make significant progress in this respect through originality, cutting-edge design, and true innovation.”
“This award underscores the incredible achievement that Amber and our team were able to attain with this collection,” said Pier Paolo Righi, CEO of Karl Lagerfeld. “The overarching success of the collection, including this award, means a lot to the brand as we continue to excite our customers with responsibly made fashion and accessories.”
Earlier this week, Dream Hotels announced a partnership with Karl Lagerfeld’s skincare division. The luxury boutique hotel group says it will be offering a highly exclusive range of premium Lagerfeld skincare products, including soap, shampoo, and lotions, marking a worldwide first for its guests. Select locations will feature additional items including eye and face creams, face wash, hand cream, bath salts, and lip balms. All of Lagerfeld’s skincare products are paraben-free and are not tested on animals.
The new collection is available on Farfetch and Zalando and at Karl Lagerfeld stores and select wholesale accounts.
