PODCAST
WHAT MAKES A GOOD CONVERSATION? LOOK NO FURTHER THAN OUR ART OF THE CONVERSATION, FEATURING UNCONVENTIONAL STORIES AND PEOPLE WHO MOVE AND INSPIRE
LISTEN NOW
Karl Goes to Memphis draws from one of the most original episodes in the history of 20th-century design - an encounter between two giants of contemporary creativity: the visionary Karl Lagerfeld and Memphis, founded by Ettore Sottsass.
In the early 1980s, Lagerfeld moved to Monte Carlo. He settled in the Roccabella building, designed by Giò Ponti. Unsatisfied with an ordinary home, Lagerfeld decided to furnish the apartment exclusively with Memphis pieces. Known for its bold, avant-garde, and provocative style, a truly extraordinary space was envisioned, where furniture, ceramics, lighting, and decorations coalesced into one surreal and provocative aesthetic. The exhibition seeks to recreate, as faithfully as possible, the ambiance of Lagerfeld’s iconic apartment within Almine Rech Monaco. With the collaboration of Memphis, all of the pieces originally featured in Lagerfeld’s residence are exhibited.
Featured works include masterpieces by Memphis such as the Carlton bookshelf by Ettore Sottsass, the Tawaraya Ring, a “domestic boxing ring” that is a space and a furniture at the same time by Masanori Umeda, the Super table lamp by Martine Bedin, the Pierre table by George J. Sowden, the First chair and Oceanic table lamp by Michele De Lucchi, the Brazil table by Peter Shire, the Hilton trolley by Javier Mariscal, the Astor table lamp by Thomas Bley, the Dublin sofa by Marco Zanini, the “indoor skyscraper” Plaza by Michael Graves, the Labrador sauce boat by Andrea Branzi, and so on.
After many years, iconic Memphis designs also make a comeback, including Matteo Thun’s Sacher hall closet, Javier Mariscal’s Colon side table, as well as George J. Sowden’s Acapulco clock and Oberoj armchair—each allowing visitors to immerse themselves in one of the most eccentric and creative visions of 1980s design.
Francesco Vezzoli creates eight new pieces on the occasion of this show: embroidered portraits of Lagerfeld, displayed in opulent baroque frames. These “emotional” works, inspired by photographs of Lagerfeld from that early period, offer a rare glimpse into his most authentic and spontaneous self. They portray a different Lagerfeld from the figure widely recognized today - an individual who loved nightclubs, the social scene, and the cultural exchanges that defined his era.
To further enhance the exhibition, a catalog designed by the renowned graphic duo Mathias Augustyniak and Michael Amzalag of M/M (Paris) complement the showcase.
“It is nearly impossible to find, in the history of 20th-century art and architecture, a creative collision as all-encompassing and intoxicating as the one that exploded in 1981, when Karl Lagerfeld entrusted Memphis with the aesthetic vision for his living space in Monte Carlo. This exhibition seeks to celebrate that utopian and surreal union—an exhilarating, unrepeatable marriage of avant-garde creativity and uncompromising vision. By revisiting this extraordinary moment, we aim to honor the boldness and imagination that reshaped not only a space but also the very boundaries of art, fashion and interior design” explains Francesco Vezzoli.
“For Memphis, this project represents the closing of a full circle - one that began in Monte Carlo and now returns there. Francesco Vezzoli, a passionate admirer and connoisseur of the brand, offers his own interpretation of Memphis’s first great devotee, Karl Lagerfeld, through a contemporary lens. Vezzoli channels the enduring spirit of Memphis, reimagining an important chapter in its history with his unique and disruptive vision - one that stays true to the Sottsass and his fellows’ original boldness and creativity” – shares Charley Vezza, CEO of Memphis.
