the PIPELINE: Style on Tap

• July 24, 2008 2:24 PM
• News

Chanel Mobile: Karl to Invade Central Park, Humans Beware

By Nicole Schlomann

It seems Karl Lagerfeld has given himself a new middle name—"Warhol." The supervillaineque designer is never short on new ideas for Chanel, and one of his latest—a mobile art show—is quite possibly the most outrageous (highway-safety vests and fishing poles included). Conceived for the 50-year anniversary of Chanel's famous quilted 2.55 handbag, the "Chanel Moblie Art" show features 15 artists who have created works inspired by the classic purse. The spacey-looking mobile art structure, which has already traveled from Hong Kong to Tokyo, is slated to arrive at New York's Rumsey Playfield in October. The collection includes a giant, pink fur-lined "pop art" version of the quilted bag in which a compact mirror reveals a woman shooting handbags. How provocative and apropos in these times of general economic prosperity! The show is expected to draw a large amount of tourists, just like New York's other public art projects. However, since with the brand's Zaha-Hadid-designed pavilion (more like a huge advertisement than an exhibition) looks like a freshly landed spaceship, less informed New Yorkers might fear that an alien army of white-haired, leather-clad cosmo warriors might have just invaded Central Park with aims on world domination—which really isn't all that far from the truth. Of course, we'll be there—resistance is, after all, futile. (NYTimes)

Photo by Nacoki via Flickr.

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