Beyond simply being a fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld was a visionary who influenced the industry for many years. Distinguished by his distinctive appearance—a white ponytail, dark glasses, and a sharp suit—he rose to fame and influenced a new generation of fashionistas and designers.
There is no denying Lagerfeld’s influence on the fashion industry. He brought new, contemporary ideas to prestigious fashion houses like Chanel and Fendi while respecting their rich histories, reviving them. He stood out for his ability to combine innovation and tradition, creating designs that are both classic and always on the cutting edge.
In addition to his career in fashion, Karl Lagerfeld was a prolific photographer, artist, and creative force. He became a legend due to his unwavering commitment to his work and astute sense of style, and his enduring legacy still serves as an inspiration to the fashion industry today.
- List of brief information
- Parents and immediate relatives
- Childhood and youth of a celebrity
- Education and the beginning of a career
- Career milestones
- Sale of brand
- About the influence on fashion
- Collections
- The personal life of the fashion designer
- Image
- Date of death
- Will
- Merits and achievements of the couturier
- TOP 5 interesting facts
- Bibliography
- Video on the topic
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List of brief information
Let’s enumerate the essential details:
- Full name – Karl Otto Lagerfeld.
- Date of birth – September 10, 1933 (year of birth is inaccurate: in an interview the fashion designer also indicated 1935 and 1938. The confusion arose due to incorrect information provided by Lagerfeld"s mother when processing the documents).
- Date of death – February 19, 2019.
- Age – 85 years old.
- City of birth – Hamburg, Germany.
- Nationality – Swedish roots on the mother"s side and German on the father"s side.
- Height – 180 cm, weight – 71 kg.
- Career – fashion designer, publisher, collector, photographer.
- Marital status – single.
- Children – none.
Parents and immediate relatives
The famous person’s parents and close family members were:
- Father – Otto Lagerfeld, a German entrepreneur, that owned a factory for the production of condensed milk.
- Mother – Elizabeth, originally from Sweden.
- The elder sister – Martha-Christiana (lived in the USA since the late 50s., passed away in 2015).
- Half-sister – Thea.
Childhood and youth of a celebrity
Karl Lagerfeld grew up in Hamburg, where he was born. His father’s fluency in twelve languages captivated him as a child, which is why he developed a fondness for foreign languages. The youth acquired five languages. The future fashion designer inherited an aesthetic sense from his mother.
From an early age, he wore a shirt that he tied himself in place of a T-shirt.
Education and the beginning of a career
Karl moved to Paris when he was 14 years old in order to enroll in a tailoring lyceum. Following three years of research, Lagerfeld entered the competition with a sketch of an original coat. The young man’s efforts were highly appreciated by the jury, which included well-known designers Christian Dior and Pierre Balmain. He received recognition for his invention and an invitation to work with Balmain. Karl spent three years studying fashion design under the tutelage of a master.
Career milestones
The public was uninformed of the young designer’s inventions, which is why they viewed the casual style with disdain. Karl took over as Jean Patou’s manager in 1958. Five years later, the designer traveled to Rome and developed a keen interest in studying art history in order to produce his own unique collections.
The designer’s ability to come up with ideas for rival fashion houses was what made him stand out. During the mid-1960s, he worked concurrently with:
- Chloe;
- Fendi;
- Krizia;
- Charles Jourdan.
The designer gave their collections a unique spin. Consequently, Chloe started wearing distinctively cut camisoles and clothing made of translucent materials. Thanks to Lagerfeld’s efforts, Fendi gained recognition among celebrities worldwide. Gina Lollobrigida, Grace Jones, and Catherine Deneuve were among the fans of the brand’s light fur products. Karl served as Chanel’s creative director in 1971. The fashion house was losing ground to rivals at the time, but Lagerfeld kept it afloat by adding uniqueness to the collections.
The designer started making perfumes. The first fragrance with soft floral notes was introduced in 1975.
Karl Lagerfeld and Claudia Schiffer collaborated on a new collection that debuted at the start of the 1990s. The designer oversaw Chloe from 1992 until 1997, when Stella McCartney assumed the role.
The fashion industry became aware of Lagerfeld Gallery, another brand, in the 2000s. The renowned designer created concert costumes for Madonna and Kylie Minogue up until the 2010s. Despite being older than sixty, Karl maintained an extraordinary level of energy and launched his own brand, K by Karl Lagerfeld. There has been recognition for his contribution to the advancement of global art and culture. The designer received the Legion of Honor in 2010.
Lagerfeld’s own short film about Coco Chanel was released in 2015. The designer’s latest collection was seen by everyone. Karl continued, saying that he and Frederick Goldman had started the wedding ring line.
Lagerfeld’s unconventional thinking and unique style were evident in his partnerships with:
- Puma brand. Cooperation took place in the fall of 2018 to the 50th anniversary of the famous Puma SueDe sneakers. The Carl"s collection included 13 samples of men"s and women"s clothing: Kapor, backpacks, hoodies, sports trousers, T -shirts. Lagerfeld has developed a design for 2 sneakers.
- London artist Yoni Alter – master of creating photo prints. Prints decorated dresses, shorts, shirts and t -shirts, as well as accessories in the style of safari.
- Stylist Karin Roitfeld. The result of the collaboration was the appearance of a collection with transparent blouses and pencil skirts.
- Cosmetic brand L’Oreal Paris.
- Manufacturer of brand cutlery Christofle.
Karl Lagerfeld was a visionary fashion designer whose avant-garde methods and classic aesthetic transformed the business. Though best known for his collaborations with Chanel, Fendi, and his own label, Lagerfeld had a profound impact on perceptions of luxury and contemporary design that went beyond mere apparel. He became a legendary figure in the world of design thanks to his ability to combine traditional elegance with modern trends.
Sale of brand
It happened in 2005 when Tommy Hilfiger acquired ownership of "Karl Lagerfeld." Karl sold the Lagerfeld Gallery along with the fashion house. Among the brands were:
- photography;
- collections;
- art space;
- a library of 230 thousand. books.
Karl Lagerfeld owned all of the items.
About the influence on fashion
Among Lagerfeld’s creative fashion concepts are the following:
- Combination of sneakers with elegant dresses.
- Large glasses that cover half the face.
- Use of natural fur.
- Bags, sneakers, bombers and mittens made of tweed.
- Combination of a men"s suit with reflective vests.
- Unification of high fashion houses with mass markets.
Collections
Let’s enumerate the most well-known:
- K-line – the first collection of the fashion designer. Clothes were distinguished by a simple cut, front and back darts and a high waist.
- Karl x Kaia – a joint collection of Karl Lagerfeld and Cindy Crawford"s daughter Kaia. Critics described it as a combination of Kaia"s signature style with dresses decorated with cutouts and short hoodies and Lagerfeld"s subtle Parisian aesthetic, which brought gloves with cut-out fingers and narrow blazers to the collection.
- The Edit by Carine Roitfeld – a collection created in collaboration with Carine Roitfeld.
- Chanel Haute Couture 2019 – the couturier"s last collection for this fashion house.
- Fendi aw19/20 – also the last collection for the Fendi fashion house.
The personal life of the fashion designer
Karl Lagerfeld was single and had no kids. Jacques de Bascher was a longtime friend of the fashion designer, with whom he claimed to have "deep platonic feelings." AIDS-related complications claimed his life in 1989. After he split up with Bascher, Lagerfeld didn’t date anyone.
It is believed that he had an unconventional sexual orientation.
Image
What set Lagerfeld apart was:
- hair pulled back into a ponytail;
- black glasses;
- black mittens.
Everyone was drawn to Lagerfeld because of his inner qualities: wit, individuality, high professionalism, and loyalty to his principles. His assistants found him to be both moderately strict and friendly, while his friends valued his upbeat demeanor and ability to criticize himself.
Date of death
On February 19, 2019, the fashion designer passed away in the American Hospital of Paris in France. Cancer of the pancreas was the cause of death. Karl had a healthy lifestyle, so he was taken aback to learn of the illness. However, Lagerfeld persisted. However, the designer passed away at the age of 85. He preferred to just vanish during his life rather than pass away because funeral rites were regarded as the height of impoliteness. The designer is buried in Nanterre, France. The designer left instructions for no grandiose funerals and for his ashes to be combined with those of his mother and his friend Basher, who passed away.
See a video that discusses Karl Lagerfeld’s most recent collection:
Will
The well-known fashion designer left Shuppet, the cat he cherished throughout his life, a portion of his $200 million fortune. Since 2011, the animal companion has shared Lagerfeld’s home and taken part in his photo shoots. Three social media profiles and a bank account were set up specifically for the pet.
Merits and achievements of the couturier
- He brought innovations to the classic traditions of Chanel, when tweed suits became the prerogative of not only grandmothers, but also their granddaughters.
- He gave a boost to the popularity of Claudia Schiffer: the world learned about the showiness and talent of the model.
- He opened the way to the world of high fashion for Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford and Nicolas Ghesquière – young designers.
- He made the shows of his collections original shows: once porn stars attended one of them.
TOP 5 interesting facts
A list of the most well-liked and fascinating
- In interviews, the fashion designer never named the exact date of his birth. It was 1933, 1938, and the last one was 1935. The confusion occurred due to the fault of his mother, who indicated incorrect data when filling out documents. Karl found out about this only before his mother"s death, when she admitted the mistake.
- Lagerfeld"s mother at one time shared the views of the Nazis in Germany and belonged to the NSDAP. Researchers of the fashion designer"s biography explain his reluctance to talk about the past in interviews for this reason.
- Karl"s real surname is Lagerfeld. In the 1960s, he changed the last letter to a more euphonious "d".
- The couturier always wore mittens on his hands. It is assumed that the reason for this is his mother"s claims that he has ugly hands.
- The designer began wearing his hair in a ponytail in 1976.
Bibliography
Karl Lagerfeld had a passion for books. He was writing and accumulated a library of 300,000 books. His book detailing the 40 kg weight loss of the designer was released in 2004. "The Little Black Jacket," a photo album chronicling Chanel’s accomplishments, was released to the public in 2012. The picture story "The Portrait of Dorian Gray" was also published at the same time. Karl Lagerfeld founded Fendi as a tribute to the fashion house’s thirty years of partnership.
Key Points | Details |
Full Name | Karl Otto Lagerfeld |
Born | September 10, 1933, in Hamburg, Germany |
Famous For | Revitalizing Chanel and being a fashion icon |
Signature Style | High collars, fingerless gloves, and sunglasses |
Career Highlight | Creative Director of Chanel, Fendi, and his own label |
Legacy | Innovative designs and a lasting impact on fashion |
Karl Lagerfeld continues to have an unmatched influence on the fashion industry. He stands out as a genuine industry icon thanks to his creative vision and ability to combine tradition and modernity. Lagerfeld became known for elegance and sophistication thanks to his collaborations with Chanel, Fendi, and his own label, which demonstrated his versatility and keen sense of style.
In addition to being a master of design, Lagerfeld was also a master of reinvention, continually pushing limits and redefining the possibilities of fashion. His genius is demonstrated by his ability to remain relevant over many years, adjusting to shifting trends without losing his distinctive style.
Around the world, designers and fashion enthusiasts are still motivated by Lagerfeld’s legacy. Not only will his contributions to fashion be admired for their grace and beauty, but also for their enduring influence on our current understanding and perception of fashion.