On the eve of the Oscars, Meryl Streep is setting the record straight.
Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld is known for his ‘Karl-isms’ – those pithy, often outlandish, quotes that spread like wildfire in the fashion industry, and typically upset those he references. He’s called Adele “a little roundish” and openly said he did not like Pippa Middleton’s face, adding that “she should only show her back”. His latest comment has angered Hollywood heavy-weight Meryl Streep in the run-up to her record breaking, 20th Oscar nomination, and she is not letting the designer’s misstep go unchallenged.
As you have most likely already read, Streep’s Oscar buzz was squashed when Lagerfeld called the actor cheap. Backstage at the Fendi fashion show at Milan Fashion Week, Lagerfeld told industry publication Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) that he had designed a dress for Meryl Streep to wear to the Oscars but a representative had told him the actor had found another brand that would pay for the her to wear its gown. Lagerfeld finished off this news with: “A genius actress, but cheapness also, no?”
When it became apparent Meryl Streep was upset by the comment, considering being paid to wear a dress was against her personal morals, Chanel and Lagerfeld issued an apology to WWD and other industry news outlets. The published statement read: “After an informal conversation, I misunderstood that Ms. Streep may have chosen another designer due to remuneration, which Ms. Streep’s team has confirmed is not the case. I regret this controversy and wish Ms. Streep well with her 20th Academy Award nomination.”
However, by then a number of websites had re-published the story and Streep was not satisfied with Lagerfeld’s apology, especially as it could overshadow her chance to tie with the legendary Katharine Hepburn for the most wins by any actor if she wins the Oscar for her role in Florence Foster Jenkins. Over the weekend her own strongly worded statement was published by WWD. In this, Streep said the comments were not a controversy but a defamation, which was published unchecked by WWD and has tarnished her record-breaking career moment.
It read: “In reference to Mr. Lagerfeld’s ‘statement,’ there is no ‘controversy’: Karl Lagerfeld, a prominent designer, defamed me, my stylist and the illustrious designer whose dress I chose to wear, in an important industry publication. That publication printed this defamation, unchecked. Subsequently, the story was picked up globally, and continues, globally, to overwhelm my appearance at the Oscars, on the occasion of my record-breaking 20th nomination, and to eclipse this honor in the eyes of the media, my colleagues and the audience. I do not take this lightly, and Mr. Lagerfeld’s generic ‘statement’ of regret for this ‘controversy’ was not an apology. He lied, they printed the lie, and I am still waiting.”
There has been no word from Chanel since Streep’s statement and with the Oscars only hours away, many will be on the look-out to see who Streep did choose to work with. Strong contenders include Givenchy haute couture, which we reported she wore earlier this year when delivering a speech against Donald Trump, and Erdem, which she wore recently at a pre-Oscar function.
From past red carpets her favourite accessory brands seem to be Christian Louboutin, with jewellery from Fred Leighton. The actor has not worn many Chanel outfits to high-profile events in the past, making it seem unlikely that she will opt to wear Chanel in the future.
