Identifiable thanks to his unique look and his dark sunglasses, world-famous German designer Karl Lagerfeld has passed away this Tuesday February 19, 2019 at the age of 85.
Legendary Art director of the Maison Chanel, as well as photographer and even filmmaker… Karl Lagerfeld had several strings to his bow and kept on renewing himself all over his career.
Everything starts in 1952 when he leaves his mother in the Hamburg suburbs to go to the French capital. After winning the first price for “International Wool Secretariat”, he’s noticed by designer Pierre Balmain who recruits him. It’s the beginning of a very long career for Karl Lagerfeld.
In the early 1960’s, the German designer joined the Jean Patou house then finds his place at Chloé and Fendi.
Then arrives a huge milestone when in 1983 he’s named Art Director for the entire “Haute Couture, ready-to-wear and accessories collections” of the legendary Maison Chanel while the brand is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Then, he causes sensations with the famous little black dress, bicolor shoes without forgetting the padded bag.
The muses chosen for Chanel by the designer have been countless. We obviously think about Inès de la Fressange, Claudia Schiffer, Vanessa Paradis and even Anna Mouglalis, Kristen Stewart and Cara Delevingne.
Since his death has been announced, reactions multiply all over the world of fashion as well as elsewhere such as Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo who said: “I am deeply saddened by the death of Karl Lagerfeld, a huge artist and a friend of a rare sensitivity who accompanied all his life women in their freedom and empowerment. Karl Lagerfeld was a genius. Within Maison Chanel, he invented and reinvented with passion, demand, excellence. His art gave colors and shapes to love, sophistication, amazement, wonderful. More than an incarnation of Paris, Karl Lagerfeld was Paris. All men and women who knew him will remember his kindness, generosity and the honest attention he paid to the most fragile ones. I thank him from the bottom of my heart and express my empathy to the now-grieving Maison Chanel teams.”
