Come for Meryl Streep at your own risk. Donald Trump’s least favorite actress (NOT IN CHARLES IN CHARGE! SAD! etc.) has found herself in a high profile dispute with Chanel’s creative director Karl Lagerfeld. Meryl’s a longshot to snap up this year’s Best Actress Oscar, but she’s already landed a pretty convincing KO win over the German design titan.
What’s this all about? On Friday, a fuss was caused by Lagerfeld’s claims in Women’s Wear Daily. According to the man with the black shades, Meryl wanted a grey custom couture number. The designer told WWD that he was then informed to ditch the dress.
“I made a sketch, and we started to make the dress,” he said before noting a phone call he received days later.“’Don’t continue the dress. We found somebody who will pay us.’”
Lagerfeld’s other observation?
“A genius actress, but cheapness also, no?”
Naturally, Meryl was not pleased with that assessment. Not only was she not pleased, she slammed Lagerfeld’s version of the truth. That is to say she considers Lagerfeld’s take a complete fabrication. She laid out her issues with Lagerfeld in a statement.
“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,” Streep said in a statement to PEOPLE. “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,”
Chanel has also released a statement regarding Lagerfeld’s claims about Streep. The fashion giant sides with Streep in their take.
“Chanel engaged in conversations with Ms. Streep’s stylist to design a dress for her to wear to the Academy Awards, with the full understanding that she was considering options from other design house,” offered Chanel’s view. “When informed by the stylist that Ms. Streep had chosen a dress by another designer there was no mention of the reason. Chanel wishes to express our continued and deep respect for Ms. Streep.”
Lagerfeld has stated something in the ballpark of a quasi-apology on the matter. In a statement, Lagerfeld is leaning hard into his “misunderstanding” defense.
“I misunderstood that Ms. Streep may have chosen another designer due to remuneration, which Ms. Streep’s team has confirmed is not the case,” read Lagerfeld’s statement that Streep referred to in less than glowing terms. “I regret this controversy and wish Ms. Streep well with her 20th Academy Award nomination.”
Perhaps Meryl, Adele, Kim Kardashian and other subjects of Lagerfeld criticism should have a pool party in the near future.
