Karl Lagerfeld To Re-Launch Karl Line

At age 78 most normal people are sitting at home watching the evening news but not Mr. Karl Lagerfeld! Fashionista.com is reporting that the man in the dark shades and white pony tail is relaunching his self titled line.

The more affordable line, called Karl, will hit Net-a-Porter on January 25, and then Karl’s website, karllagerfeld.com, on February 28. It’s a 100-piece collection which the designer described as “rock” and “street” and is comprised of lots of denim and leather. While denim and leather might seemed aimed at a younger demo, Karl told WWD the collection was “ageless”–and if there’s anyone who understands ageless, it’s him. Prices will range from $95 to $450, so will sit comfortably in that sweet “contemporary” price point. Expect tons of accessories (which the company expects to account for half its revenues) and a new logo: Lagerfeld’s sunglasses-and-ponytail profile, embedded into the “K.” (Will it be the new interlocking C’s and herald the return to logo-mania? We wouldn’t be a bit surprised.)

There will be complete Lagerfeld saturation to support the Karl line:

-Pop-up shops in major cities, including Paris
-Lagerfeld “experience” stores which will mix his Karl line and a new high-end line, as well as all his other interests, like books.
-Social media marketing
-A brand book
-Revamped website
-Men’s wear will hit in fall 2012

As if this all wasn’t enough, Lagerfeld is also getting back into the high-end arena under his own name. He stopped showing his Karl Lagerfeld collection back in September 2010, but he’ll be hitting Paris again with a new designer line called, appropriately enough, Karl Lagerfeld Paris. It will be available mostly in Europe, Russia, Asia and the Middle East, but will hit select stores here in the US. Prices will range from $411 to $3,425, making it an “affordable designer” line, a descriptor that didn’t sit well with Lagerfeld. He told WWD, “I don’t work in that direction. I just want not too expensive clothes that people may like and perhaps want to wear.” He noted that his investors have tossed enough money at him that he could assemble teams in Paris, Amsterdam, and New York.