Advertisement

Cara Delevingne, Helen Mirren and Tilda Swinton pay tribute to Karl Lagerfeld at Paris memorial event

Helen Mirren, Cara Delevingne and Claudia Schiffer were among the stars paying tribute to Karl Lagerfeld last night.

The German creative director and fashion designer, who died from pancreatic cancer last February at the age of 85 in February, was honoured at the Karl For Ever memorial celebration in Paris.

The event took place during Paris Fashion Week Men’s. It was held at iconic venue Grand Palais, which has often been used as a location for Lagerfeld’s fashion shows over the years.

The supermodel line-up also included Claudia Schiffer – formerly appointed as face of Chanel by Lagerfeld – and Gigi Hadid, in addition to Delevingne, who hosted the ceremony wearing a fluffy pink gown.

(From left) Cara Delevingne, Lil Buck, Robert Carsen, Tilda Swinton, Pharell Williams and Helen Mirren at the Karl Lagerfeld Homage at Grand Palais on June 20, 2019 in Paris, France. [Photo: Getty]
(From left) Cara Delevingne, Lil Buck, Robert Carsen, Tilda Swinton, Pharell Williams and Helen Mirren at the Karl Lagerfeld Homage at Grand Palais on June 20, 2019 in Paris, France. [Photo: Getty]

READ MORE: Karl Lagerfeld: The fashion icon’s career in pictures

Actors Tilda Swinton and Dame Helen Mirren both performed readings during the ceremony, with Mirren reading from Lagerfeld’s memoir, ‘A World According To Karl’ and Swinton reciting from Virginia Woolf’s ‘Orlando’ – a favourite of the late designer.

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 20: Cara Delevingne speaks on stage during the Karl Lagerfeld Homage at Grand Palais on June 20, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Cara Delevingne speaks on stage during the Karl Lagerfeld Homage at Grand Palais on June 20, 2019 in Paris, France. [Photo: Getty]

The event, organised jointly by Chanel, Fendi and Karl Lagerfeld, paid tribute to Lagerfeld’s fashion career at the helm of each of the fashion houses. Artistically, it was arranged by theatre and opera director Robert Carsen.

During the tribute, Delevingne read out a poem about cats by French writer Colette.

READ MORE: Karl Lagerfeld cremated without ceremony

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 20: Helen Mirren and Charlie Siem are seen on stage during the Karl Lagerfeld Homage at Grand Palais on June 20, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Helen Mirren and violinist Charlie Siem are seen on stage during the Karl Lagerfeld Homage at Grand Palais on June 20, 2019 in Paris, France. [Photo: Getty]

Fashion editor Dame Anna Wintour, who has been editor-in-chief of Vogue since 1988, was also in attendance.

Guests also watched a live performance from American music artist Pharrell Williams.

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 20: Tilda Swinton is seen on stage during the Karl Lagerfeld Homage at Grand Palais on June 20, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Tilda Swinton is seen on stage during the Karl Lagerfeld Homage at Grand Palais in Paris, France. [Photo: Getty]

During the ceremony, giant screens displayed an on-screen tribute to Lagerfeld, featuring clips of Dior creative director Maria Grzia Chiuri and filmmaker Baz Lurhmann.

READ MORE: 21 of Karl Lagerfeld's most memorable (and controversial) quotes

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 20: Pharrell Williams performs during "Karl for Ever" Tribute to Karl Lagerfeld  at Grand Palais on June 20, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images)
Pharrell Williams performs during "Karl for Ever" Tribute to Karl Lagerfeld at Grand Palais in Paris, France. [Photo: Getty]

Choupette – Karl Lagerfeld’s cat and the rumoured heir to the designer’s $150 million fortune – also featured in the clips.