February 3, 2015. Berlin, Unter den Linden. Throngs of photographers, camera teams and reporters crowded around the entry to the Palazzo Italia. The excitement was all because of the perhaps only German superstar with international celebrity status, Karl Lagerfeld, who held a vernissage to open the Opel exhibition “Corsa Karl and Choupette”. And when the master calls, the stars respond. Accompanied by a flurry of flashbulbs, Berlin’s in-crowd walked the red carpet to admire the new Corsa and the art dedicated to it. Show business giants like actors Oliver Mommsen, Ralph Herforth, Gesine Cukrowski, Ken Duken, Jasmin Gerat, Christiane Paul, Benjamin Sadler, Fahri Yardim, Bettina Zimmermann, presenter Ruth Moschner, soccer vice world champion Christoph Metzelder, race car driver Lina van de Mars and German Federal Minister of Transport Alexander Dobrindt all came to the event.
The excitement turned into frenzy when the Grande Dame of German film, Iris Berben, appeared. That was topped only by the master himself. All in black, with sunglasses, he strode onto the walkway. Then the crowd went wild, everyone wanted to get the best picture. Finally Karl Lagerfeld left the red carpet, heading towards the exhibition – with the media representatives in hot pursuit. A huge crowd gathered around the Chanel designer. In between cameras, microphones and recording devices held high, one only caught glimpses of silver hair in a ponytail.
Karl Lagerfeld took all the commotion in stride. He knows it all too well. And that’s why he left the real star of the evening at home with her two maids. Because the three-and-a-half-year-old Choupette wouldn’t handle the excitement so well, said the master, excusing his purebred cat, which he just simply kept after a friend who was going away for three weeks asked him to look after it three years ago.
the Making-Of
Karl Lagerfeld opened the exhibition on this evening with Opel Group CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann and Chief Marketing Officer Tina Müller. As to how the unusual collaboration came about, Karl Lagerfeld said: “The idea for the calendar came from Tina Müller, whom I’ve known for quite a while, which is why I was convinced by the project. A big compliment to Tina, she did a great job.” Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann was very pleased with the result: “I was thrilled that we were able to showcase the new Opel Corsa so prominently with the calendar and this exhibition, and that Karl Lagerfeld personally opened this vernissage today with the one-and-only model Choupette in the spotlight.”
For the Opel photo calendar 2015, Karl Lagerfeld let his Birman cat Choupette explore the new Opel Corsa and photographed her while she was at it. In addition to the twelve pictures for the calendar and private Polaroid photos of Choupette, other photos were taken that are on display in the Palazzo. And in the pop-up factory, there are interesting interior and detail views of Corsa production from the body assembly, paint and final assembly shops. This part of the exhibition comes from the Opel plant in Eisenach.
the Pop-Up-Factory
Art, anyone?
Anyone who would like to see the exhibition “Corsa Karl and Choupette“ can do so until February 22, 2015 in Palazzo Italia, Unter den Linden 10, in Berlin-Mitte. Entrance is free, and the exhibition is open daily from 11 am to 8 pm.
This is what it’s about: THE Calendar
