We’re counting down the days until soon-to-be guest editor Karl Lagerfeld takes over Metro. In the meantime, I’m off to Paris to celebrate the launch of his new line KARL. The collection is a little bit tough rocker, a little bit sexed up Parisian and trés, trés untouchably cool — kind of like the man himself, no? Check out KARL’s debut today at 3:30pm on Net-A-Porter.

In case you’re wondering why the blog has been so quiet, it’s because we’ve got many things in the works, my friend — including a whole newly designed blog. But most exciting of all, our upcoming guest editor Monsieur Lagerfeld.

…well, technically Swoon is my husband’s friend, as she and I have unbelievably never met. But after several years’ worth of warm greetings passed through the hubs, I feel like I’ve known her forever. In New York, I spent many a visit to Deitch Projects (RIP) admiring Swoon’s work. So it’s nice to see her cross the waters to London for her first solo show, Murmuration. I missed the opening (Swoon, we are forever like ships passing in the night), but was fortunate enough to see it last week. Londoners, get into it.

Based on this sneak peek, Marni’s upcoming collaboration with H&M looks like it should be one of the Swedish chain’s stronger ones. I wouldn’t mind having that stripey men’s sweater to wear right now, actually.

During the madness of the ss12 shows, I was sneaking off to meetings with Karl Lagerfeld’s team to plan a special issue in which he’ll guest edit an upcoming edition of Metro. I’ve never had a harder time keeping a secret in. That said, the issue will look at the world through Karl’s eyes and among many other things, include a series of guest columns and collectible sketches. After having a very lengthy and candid chat with him in Paris on Friday, I can definitely say that it will be unlike any other issue of Metro that you’ve ever seen before. The best part: we’ll be having a contest, in which a lucky reader will win the chance to join us on February 6 in the Paris newsroom, where Karl will come to take over all of our global editions. Watch this space for more details in the coming weeks and months.

Here’s what Jean-Paul Goude had to say about his work with Grace Jones in an article about his Paris retrospective on Nowness:

I’ve always been drawn to so-called ‘atypical beauties’. But Grace was different; we were boyfriend-girlfriend. I have an ego like all simple-minded heterosexual men, and I had mates in fashion who kept saying, “Goude’s dating a trannie.” To prove them wrong I had to show Grace’s beauty was wherever they didn’t expect to find it. If you put a muscular woman in a mini-skirt, she’ll just look ridiculous. It wasn’t about masculinizing Grace, but using artifacts usually reserved for men, which in fact put her femininity forward.

I can’t wait to see this during my next trip to Paris.

Goudemalion, Jean-Paul Goude rétrospective, until March 18, Le Musée des Arts Décoratifs.
[photos via Nowness]

It’s time for a Sixties redux. In homage to The Who’s re-release of their seminal album “Quadrophenia,” we’ve created our very own Mod-inspired look.



(l-r): Paul Smith suit, Pretty Green shirt, Topman parka, Grenson shoes, ASOS tie and a Maison Martin Margiela motorcycle helmet

He has the look of a man who may at any moment start jigging and jiving to Gene Kelly’s “I’m Singing In the Rain.” Oh and by God, he’d do it in style. From the perfectly coiffed, parted hair to the tailored trousers that are cut a good few inches above what your father would term a “sensible” length — this chap cuts-a-dash of the Tom Ford, “A Single Man” variety.

-Photo credit: Michelle Bobb-Parris