Review of Karl Lagerfeld Spring 2023 Ad Campaign by Photographer Francesco Bonasia with models Valery Kaufman and Ben Sherrell
Karl Lagerfeld steps into summer with a new campaign by photographer Francesco Bonasia.
The campaign follows the familiar narrative of a warm-weather garden party, but sets it against the backdrop of a lush and luxe Italian(?) villa. Bonasia’s saturated images are punctuated by the collection’s bright pops of color, while his compositions draw a strong sense of depth out the placement of bodies.
Though he was beloved for his work at Chanel and Fendi, Lagerfeld’s namesake brand has always lagged behind in terms of a unique design approach and a specific brand identity, which has become especially true since the designer’s passing. While this campaign is visually stronger than some of the recent ones we’ve seen from the brand, it doesn’t really do anything to set itself apart and show us why this is Karl Lagerfeld and that we should pay attention (in fact, its compositions actually remind us of some recent-ish campaigns from Ferragamo and Hermès, but without a distinct visual punch).
Karl Lagerfeld the person had an iconically bold and provocative personality, but the brand is in a tough spot as all of his major contributions to fashion were at and are still owned by other brands. Is name recognition enough to keep his namesake alive? That’s what it seems to be banking on, as so far the brand hasn’t shown us why it ought to live on without him.
Photographer | Francesco Bonasia
Models | Valery Kaufman, Ben Sherrell