Disney+ makes available to its users the new series “Becoming Karl Lagerfeld” in which, as its name suggests, the main character is none other than the famous fashion designer. Should we watch this fictional event?
What is it about ?
“In 1972, Karl Lagerfeld, 38 years old, aspired to become the most recognized French couturier at a time when Yves Saint Laurent was the undisputed figure of fashion. While he met Jacques de Bascher, a young dandy from whom he falls in love, Lagerfeld competes against Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, at the head of the most prestigious fashion house.
Between clan rivalries and ego conflicts, parties and decadence, tragic loves and grandiose friendships, discover the story of Kaiser Karl, that of a desperate quest for recognition.”
The six episodes of Becoming Karl Lagerfeld are available from Friday June 7, 2024 on Disney+.
Who is it with?
Daniel Brühl lends his features to Karl Lagerfeld in this project. He plays opposite Théodore Pellerin (Jacques de Bascher), Arnaud Valois (Yves Saint Laurent), Alex Lutz (Pierre Bergé), Agnès Jaoui (Gaby Aghion), Jeanne Damas (Paloma Picasso) and Lisa Kreuzer (Elisabeth Lagerfeld).
Jennifer Have, Isaure Pisani-Ferry and Raphaëlle Bacqué are the creators of the series. The latter is also the author of the book Kaiser Karl from which the fiction was adapted.
Jérôme Salle and Audrey Estrougo are responsible for the production. Finally, Arnaud de Crémiers, Isabelle Degeorges and Christophe Riandée are involved as producers on this project.
It’s worth checking out ?
What a parade! Becoming Karl Lagerfeld offers a captivating dive into the making of the couturier myth. This series shows the passionate man and tortured soul behind the clothes. And who better than Daniel Brühl to give substance to the artist of German and Spanish origin who died in 2019?
The actor (whom we discovered in the film Good Bye, Lenin!) is brilliant in this new role and, thanks to his performance, allows us to meet Karl Lagerfeld in a different way, as we have never known him before.
Always arriving or chosen second, feeling bad about himself, upset lover… the hero of this story has nothing to do with the public figure that we have seen evolve in the media.
Here, we dissect the intimate side of Karl Lagerfeld and his tormented (not to say toxic!) relationship with Jacques de Bascher, but also Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. We follow a real love square at the center of which feelings, ambition and rivalry collide. These are respectively played by Théodore Pellerin, Arnaud Valois and Alex Lutz.
Moreover, the first is magnetic and inevitably captures the viewer’s gaze and attention in each scene! The physical transformation of the second is impressive and this one does not suffer from comparison with the different Saint Laurents seen in the cinema. Finally, the third gives a new face, sober and rather austere, to the latter’s right arm and companion.
The relationships between Karl Lagerfeld and Jacques de Bascher are central during the stylist’s slow and pitfalls-filled rise. Sometimes touching, sometimes annoying, our protagonists live (and endure) as best they can a waltz of feelings which, sometimes, can seem repetitive in the eyes of the public.
But that’s not all because in terms of private life, the relationship of the man in the ponytail with his mother is just as important and determining! We thus better understand the psychology of this colorful character, dressed to the nines and sometimes as fascinating as he is unfathomable.
To top it all off, the images, sets and (obviously) costumes are absolutely magnificent! Becoming Karl Lagerfeld is a beautiful, flamboyant and particularly informative series, served by a top-notch cast.
A success not to be missed on Disney+, from Friday June 7, 2024.
