Karl Lagerfeld for Macy's

Weary of the financial setbacks of his own line, Karl Lagerfeld recently decided to put it on hold in order to devote himself to the launch of a completely new collection which will be available at much more affordable prices.

Chanel's creative director has never hidden the fact that he likes mixing genres. As elitist as his creations for Chanel are, and as developed as the works sold in his 7th arrondissement (Paris) bookstore may be, Lagerfeld has proven many times how much he likes to challenge himself. In particular, there was the road safety ad campaign (France) showing him wearing a florescent yellow safety vest, and the capsule collection he created for the Swedish fast fashion giant, H&M.

It is unsurprising, then, that we learn that the Kaiser has crossed over to the other side of the Atlantic to develop a line for the American department store chain, Macy's. This collection, available next fall, should satisfy those fans of the Karl Lagerfeld line who may have lost a bit of their purchasing power during the economic crisis.

The skinny jeans, tailored blazers and chic evening gowns will be carrying much more affordable price tags than usual, enough to cause excitement at Macy's as well as on the internet, as the collection will also be available on line.

Will Lagerfeld succeed in extricating himself from the chains of Chanel that seem sometimes to weigh on him? That is what it sounded like when he declared: "I wanted this for a long time. I prefer to work in another way. I can't compete with Chanel. I don't want to be the poor child of myself. This has been my vision for years." Verdict to be delivered fall 2011...