Few would pass up the opportunity to wear a free, custom-made couture gown designed by Karl Lagerfeld, realized by artisans of the house of Chanel. Apparently, Meryl Streep is one of those few. In a recent interview with WWD, Lagerfeld called out the Hollywood legend for reneging on her request for an Oscars gown.
According to Lagerfeld, the chain of events went as follows. First, Streep reached out to Chanel, desirous of an embroidered gray silk gown from the French fashion house’s most recent couture collection for Sunday night’s Oscars ceremony. Streep requested the design be adjusted slightly — classy lady that she is, she wanted a higher neckline. Lagerfeld complied. He sketched the dress, the Chanel atelier got to work. Days later, Streep’s team phoned to cancel the order. “Don’t continue the dress. We found somebody who will pay us,” were the messenger’s words, per Lagerfeld.
(Tentatively) assuming this was the gown in question; Image: Imaxtree
Chanel makes a point of not paying celebrities, no matter how decorated they may be, to wear its clothes. (Makes sense — it’s not as if they’re wanting for publicity.) The dress Streep requested retails for around 100,000 euros. Of course, she would’ve had it for free, regardless of the man-hours that went into making it. In fact, she still can: “She could keep the dress because of the size,” Lagerfeld told WWD. “It’s couture. It’s perfect for her.” Why let a unicorn die?
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Still, Lagerfeld doesn’t seem particularly thrilled with Streep’s actions: “A genius actress, but cheapness also, no?” he commented, in peak Lagerfeld style.
Streep’s camp denies Lagerfeld’s claims. A representative for the actress told The Hollywood Reporter that “the statement is absolutely false, and that it is against her personal ethics to be paid to wear a gown on the red carpet.” In this crazy, mixed-up world, one thing’s for certain: we’re dying to see what Streep wears Sunday night.
[ via WWD ]
