Rüsselsheim/Paris. Fashion designer and photographer Karl Lagerfeld managed to persuade a very special model to join him for a project with Opel – Choupette Lagerfeld. The couturier’s Birman cat is the star of the 2015 Opel Corsa calendar. “The recipe ‘Super model on car’ is slowly getting boring. Karl Lagerfeld has found a new and fresh approach to the subject,” said Opel Chief Marketing Officer Tina Müller. Müller was present for the shooting with Karl Lagerfeld and is delighted with the project. “The fifth generation of the Corsa has just been launched. In the last 32 years, it has been photographed with numerous supermodels. There was only one way to beat that in a special way: Choupette,” said the marketing expert with a wink.
Lagerfeld followed Choupette’s foray of the new Corsa in a Parisian studio. His camera captured the four-legged star, with 42,000 Twitter followers and radiant blue eyes, getting to know every detail of the new Opel. No matter whether it was velvet paws on the steering wheel, a leap from the hood or during a quick break in a child seat - the star photographer and his model showed that the new Corsa offers outstanding spaciousness and quality along with first-class design.
The fact that a cat actually enjoys such a project is by no means common. But Lagerfeld’s close relationship with Choupette made the shooting easy. “Choupette did a great job – just as I would expect from a star. She was relaxed no matter whether she was behind the wheel or on the roof of the Opel. She was by no means tense. However, she did sleep for twelve hours after we had finished,” said Lagerfeld. “Karl Lagerfeld is synonymous with esthetics, lifestyle and elegance – just like our new Corsa. Karl Lagerfeld expresses exactly that with his photographs. The shooting and the calendar once again emphasize our brand’s claim – innovative cars, groundbreaking design and a likeable approach,” added Müller.
On top of being famous for his fashion creativity, Karl Lagerfeld is a renowned photographer being exhibited in various museums around the world, and having his photographs being the subject of several art books. He shoots numerous advertising campaigns (Chanel, Fendi, Karl Lagerfeld among others) and is a regular contributor to a lot of international fashion magazines. However, Choupette is no newcomer to working in a photo studio either, even though she has never before dedicated as much time as she did for the Corsa. Previously, the famous cat posed for the cover of the German Vogue in the arms of supermodel Linda Evangelista.
By the way, Linda Evangelista was part of the supermodel advertising campaign for the Corsa at the end of the previous millennium when she appeared in an Opel spot with Christy Turlington, Tatjana Patiz, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.
Choupette Lagerfeld is already the second cat with a starring role in campaigns for the Opel Corsa. In the commercial for the first generation of the Corsa (1982 – 1993), cartoon anti-hero Tom chased mouse Jerry who was at the wheel of the agile small car.
The fifth generation of the Opel Corsa impresses with the new, clear-cut and, as usual, spacious interior including perfect connectivity due to the IntelliLink infotainment system and ultra-modern driver assistance systems. The dynamic Corsa silhouette complies with Opel’s design philosophy: flowing, sculptural artistry shapes combined with precisely designed details. This is the package the new Corsa has at its disposal to continue the 32-year success story in a highly competitive segment.
The Corsa calendar photos taken by Karl Lagerfeld will be presented at a vernissage at the beginning of next year. The previous Opel calendar, produced in cooperation with Bryan Adams, focused on the Opel ADAM.
