Fendi honors Lagerfeld and fashion's 'longest love story'

Fendi paid understated tribute Thursday to Karl Lagerfeld, who died this week and was the Rome-based fashion house's creative director for 54 years.

The fashion house said in notes for its Milan Fashion Week show that the Fall/Winter 2019-2020 collection "is the final collection designed by Karl Lagerfeld, representing a lifetime of dedication and creation from 1965 until today."

Reproductions of five of Lagerfeld's sketches accompanied the notes, summing up the looks. A small card came printed with his signature and the Fendi "F'' that had a heart forming the cross-stroke. The date of the designer's death was on the back: 19-02-2019.

EDS NOTE: NUDITY - Models Bella Hadid, left, and Gigi Hadid, second from left, wear creations as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

A video recorded before his death showed Lagerfeld being asked to draw himself as he appeared on his first day at Fendi.

"Well, that's prehistoric," the designer said. "In the 1960s, we didn't hold back."

His personal Fendi preview look: a Cerruti hat over his long hair, dark sunglasses, a printed Lavalliere tie, a yellow-and-red English hunting jacket in Scottish tweed, French-style culottes and a bag that he had found in Milan.

A video presentation showing the late designer Karl Lagerfeld and his association with Fendi is shown after the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

"That was my style. Disreputable," the late designer told the camera in French.

Other highlights from the second day of Milan Fashion Week:

LAGERFELD'S FENDI FINALE

Karl Lagerfeld's grand finale at Fendi emulated the designer's signature style, with striking high collars and the models wearing ponytails at the nape.

Models wear creations as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

The opening look featured a huge bow tie and a double-breasted jacket with white accents, worn with a mini-skirt showing off Fendi tights. That look was elaborated on to show the same jacket as a long overcoat, then paired with wide-legged pleated trousers with white stripe accents. A neat, point-collared shirt buttoned to the top unified the outfits. .

A series of wide-pleated skirts in shiny finishes or sheers, as well as structured dresses with pagoda shoulders, pointy collars and cinched waists feminized the collection.

Coats were luxurious furs with the elegant double-F logo in cursive - known as Lagerfeld's curling "Karligraphy" - and laser-cut leather with zippers that opened the sleeves and the back. Shiny leather coats were shaped like capes and had open-zip arms and fur collars.

A model wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

Beyond neutral tones, Lagerfeld included flashes of daffodil yellow, seafoam green and tangerine. The looks were finished with fur riding caps, the Fendi Peekaboo bag with perforated detailing or the updated Baguette bag with a multi-strap harness.

Gigi Hadid closed the show in a diaphanous mango dress with a snug Fendi-logoed bodysuit. A big bow floated on the back.

FENDI'S PUBLIC FAREWELL

A model wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

Silvia Venturini Fendi, who was a child when Lagerfeld joined Fendi and revolutionized fur at her family's fashion house, thanked the fashion crowd and took a bow, then clenched her fists and stepped backstage.

A screen descended: Backstage was kept private.

Venturini Fendi in a note said the bond between Lagerfeld and Fendi "is fashion's longest love story."

A model wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

"When we called just a few days before the show, his only thoughts were on the richness and the beauty of the collection," she wrote. "It's a true testament to his character. He shall be so missed."

A model wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

A model wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

A model wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

A model wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

A model wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

A model wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

Model Gigi Hadid wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

Model Kaia Gerber wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

Model Gigi Hadid wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

Model Gigi Hadid wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

EDS NOTE: NUDITY - Model Bella Hadid wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

EDS NOTE: NUDITY - Model Bella Hadid wears a creation as part of the Fendi women's Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. (AP PhotoAntonio Calanni)

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressed satisfaction on Monday after a series of candidates supported by his party won weekend races for mayor.

Candidates from his pro-European Union centrist Civic Coalition, or running with the party's backing, won in a series of cities in the second round of local elections held on Sunday, among them Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw and Rzeszow.

“It is very difficult to clearly say who won and who lost,” Tusk said Monday. “But if we compare these results, especially in the most attractive places, on these attractive battlefields ... then I actually have reasons for satisfaction.”

“Law and Justice has simply disappeared in many places,” Tusk added at a news conference, referring to the main opposition party.

The results put Civic Coalition in a favorable position as the country looks next to elections to the European Parliament on June 9.

Mayors were chosen in a total of 748 cities and towns where no single candidate won at least 50% of the vote during the first round on April 7.

Candidates for Tusk’s party also recaptured cities where they had not held power for many years, including Zielona Gora, Legnica and Torun.

The local and regional elections were viewed as a test for Tusk's pro-European Union government four months after it took power at the national level. Sunday's second round strengthened the Tusk government's leverage in the cities, which should facilitate cooperation on development projects and allotment of EU funds.

Tusk's allies also won in some places in the first round two weeks ago, including in Warsaw, where incumbent Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski was an easy victor.

In the first round, the right-wing Law and Justice, prevailed on the level of regional assemblies in the country's 16 provinces, where it took 34.3% of the votes, while Tusk's Civic Coalition got 30.6%. Law and Justice governed on the national level from 2015-23.

Tusk’s socially liberal Civic Coalition traditionally has strong support in cities, while Law and Justice has a more solid base in conservative rural areas, particularly in eastern Poland.

Civic Coalition is the largest group in a three-party coalition that governs the EU nation of 38 million people. The coalition is pro-European Union but otherwise spans a wide ideological spectrum with left-wing politicians in the Left party as well as conservatives in the Third Way.

Polish voters take part in a local runoff election in Lomianki, near Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, April 21, 2024. Voters are choosing mayors who did not win outright in the first round of the election two weeks earlier. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Campaign posters promote candidates as Poles vote in local and regional elections in Lomianki, near Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, April 21, 2024. Voters are choosing mayors who did not win outright in the first round of the election two weeks earlier. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Polish voters take part in a local runoff election in Lomianki, near Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, April 21, 2024. Voters are choosing mayors who did not win outright in the first round of the election two weeks earlier. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Polish voters take part in a local runoff election in Lomianki, near Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, April 21, 2024. Voters are choosing mayors who did not win outright in the first round of the election two weeks earlier. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

FILE - Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk reacts during his and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meeting with students in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk is celebrating a victory on Monday April 22, 2024 after a series of candidates supported by his party won weekend races for mayor. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)

FILE - Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk listens to the media in Berlin, Germany, Friday, March 15, 2024. Tusk is celebrating a victory on Monday April 22, 2024 after a series of candidates supported by his party won weekend races for mayor. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File)