Fashion, Karl Lagerfeld tells Jacques de Bascher, has nothing to do women: If it did, there wouldn’t be so many gay men involved. Rather, fashion feeds the zeitgeist. It shapes society. So the big fashion house that creates the most successful line, and puts on the most prestigious show, wins. And then that designer can mold society to his or her every whim.
Karl wants desperately to win. For years, he’s labored in relative anonymity, designing pieces for smaller, ready-to-wear houses instead of haute couture. But now, he’s the artistic director of Chloé, and he’s ready to finally make a name for himself.
Karl Lagerfeld is perhaps best known as the artistic director of fashion powerhouse Chanel, where he worked until his death in 2019. Hulu’s Becoming Karl Lagerfeld tells the story of how the German-born designer went from relative obscurity to one of the most well-known names in fashion.
The series, recorded primarily in French (with other European languages popping in every now and then), is going to be a nonstarter for many families. For instance, there are multiple uses of the f-word in multiple languages. Go figure.
The real Karl Lagerfeld was in a curious relationship with the aforementioned Jacques for 18 years until the other man died of AIDS in 1989. Lagerfeld claimed the relationship was platonic, never sexual. And as of the first episode, it seems this show plans to continue in that vein. However, it’s hinted that Karl was previously in a relationship with fellow male designer Yves Saint Laurent. Plus, Jacques seems less inclined to a celibate lifestyle.
Early on, Jacques hooks up with another man, inviting him to have sex before kissing him in a nightclub. We don’t see any sexual activity on screen, but that doesn’t mean we won’t later in the series.
It should be noted that the real Jacques de Bascher was also well known for his risky sexual exploits. He had an affair with Laurent (whose male partner eventually threatened him), was in relationships with both men and women and allegedly hosted orgies. So all of these things are liable to make an appearance in this TV-MA rated series.
Nightclubs are frequented by scantily-clothed people dancing, drinking, smoking and probably doing much more just out of the camera’s eye. Petty rivalries seem common. And, we’re told, fashion is very much a constant competition to be on top, making very little room for friends or family.
And while all of that might make for good drama, it doesn’t make much for wholesome viewing.
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at [email protected], or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
After Karl is mocked by his former friends at Yves Saint Laurent, he makes a play to become the artistic director of Chloé so he can finally gain recognition in the fashion world.
Jacques asks a man in a nightclub if he wants to have sex before kissing him. (And we’re led to assume they did have sex since Jacques returns home the following day wearing the same clothes as the night before, much to his mother’s chagrin.) Jacques flirts with Karl and tries to entice the German man by wearing lederhosen that show off his legs. Karl refuses Jacques’ sexual advances—noting that he doesn’t want to be involved with someone who has so many sexual partners—but he is clearly intrigued by the younger man. During a church sermon, Jacques makes eyes at the priest, confusing the clergyman.
Jacques says he likes to write about Gilles de Rais (a historical figure famously convicted of murdering children in relation to the occult). Someone says that Rais was guilty of raping children as well, and Jacques responds they shouldn’t be “prudish” about it.
In a gay club, older men flirt with and kiss much younger men. People dance provocatively in a nightclub as well as drink and smoke. Many of these people are scantily clad. Models on a runway also bare a fair amount of skin. We hear that many gay men work in fashion. It’s suggested that Karl and Yves Saint Laurent (the man, not the brand) dated once before. Yves is in a relationship with another man now. There’s some sexually graphic language. When two of Karl’s models get sick, Jacques pulls prostitutes off the street to walk in Karl’s show. And Karl tells the women he will be the only man to ever dress them “up.”
Folks smoke and drink throughout the episode. Karl says he does neither but enjoys watching people get high.
People mock Karl and talk about him behind his back. Thinly veiled insults are exchanged. Yves tells Karl that thoughts of their past helped calm him during a panic attack. Later, Karl has a panic attack of his own just before his first fashion show.
There are two uses of the f-word, one of the s-word and one of “a–.”
Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.
Violence, profanity and explicit content reign king in this mob-like series that’s crafted to show the worst of society.
Fantasmas, like the crayon Julio hopes to make, has no clear message—but plenty of clear issues.
People from all walks of life learn lessons from God Himself that will change their lives.
