Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld
Born	Karl Otto Lagerfeld (1933-09-10) 10 September 1933 Hamburg, Germany
Died	19 February 2019(2019-02-19) (aged 85)
Occupation(s)	Fashion designer, photographer, creative director
Years active	1950s–2019
Known for	Creative head of Chanel, creative director at Fendi, founder of Karl Lagerfeld brand

Karl Otto Lagerfeld (10 September 1933 – 19 February 2019) was a renowned German fashion designer, photographer, and creative visionary.

Launching his professional journey in the 1950s, Lagerfeld contributed his talents to prestigious fashion houses such as Balmain, Patou, and Chloé before becoming part of Chanel in 1983. As Chanel’s creative head until his passing, he oversaw every creative dimension—from runway collections and promotional photography to retail presentation—revitalizing the label and reestablishing its position as a premier international fashion powerhouse. Concurrently, he held the role of creative director at the Italian luxury fur and leather brand Fendi while managing his own namesake label. Lagerfeld’s extensive collaborations spanned fashion, design, and art; his photographic work was displayed in galleries and compiled into published volumes.

His signature appearance was instantly recognizable, characterized by white hair, dark sunglasses, fingerless gloves, and sharply starched detachable collars.

Early life

Born on 10 September 1933 in Hamburg, Karl Otto Lagerfeld was the son of Elisabeth (née Bahlmann) and Otto Lagerfeld. His father hailed from a prosperous wine merchant lineage and was a multilingual entrepreneur fluent in nine languages. Otto Lagerfeld ran an import business specializing in evaporated milk under the name Lagerfeld & Co., collaborating with the American dairy company Carnation. Remarkably, during his travels, he survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Fluent in Russian, he was detained in Vladivostok during World War I on espionage allegations before returning to Germany after the 1917 Russian Revolution. On his maternal side, Lagerfeld’s grandfather Karl Bahlmann was active politically with the Catholic Centre Party. The family practiced within the Old Catholic Church. His mother worked as a lingerie saleswoman from Berlin; she wed Otto Lagerfeld in 1930.

Karl had an elder sister named Martha Christiane "Christel" (born 1931) as well as an older half-sister, Theodora Dorothea "Thea," from his father’s previous marriage. The family surname appeared as both Lagerfeldt and Lagerfeld; Karl adopted the latter spelling for its commercial appeal.

Due to his father’s affiliation with the Nazi party and business interests through Glücksklee-Milch GmbH, the family largely avoided wartime hardships during World War II.

From an early age, Lagerfeld demonstrated a keen fascination with visual arts, frequently engaging in sketching. He credited much of his artistic development to frequent visits to the Kunsthalle Hamburg museum rather than formal education.

Early career, Chloé, and Fendi (1954–1982)

In 1954, Lagerfeld entered a dress design into the International Wool Secretariat competition, anticipating chemise dress trends later popularized by Givenchy and Balenciaga three years afterward. The following year, he won first prize in the coat category and formed a friendship with fellow winner Yves Saint Laurent. Soon thereafter, Pierre Balmain employed him as an assistant and apprentice for a three-year period.

By 1957, Lagerfeld had become artistic director at Jean Patou, departing in 1962 to establish himself among the first freelance designers. Throughout the 1960s, he freelanced for notable brands including Charles Jourdan, Chloé, Krizia, Valentino, and Rome-based Tiziani. In 1965, Fendi recruited him to revamp their fur collection by incorporating more affordable pelts such as rabbit and squirrel into luxury fashion lines while launching their ready-to-wear division. He also created Fendi’s iconic double F logo and maintained his association with the brand until his death.

Lagerfeld joined Chloé in 1966 alongside Gaby Aghion and became its sole designer by 1974. His contributions during the 1970s elevated him to global prominence in fashion circles, often rivaling Yves Saint Laurent’s influence. Drawing inspiration from styles spanning the 1920s to the 1950s, he played a key role in defining the Soft Look era by removing linings, padding, and hems to produce lightweight layered garments. This philosophy extended into his fur designs at Fendi which prioritized comfort and fluidity.

Around 1978, his aesthetic evolved toward more structured silhouettes featuring pronounced shoulder pads, narrow skirts, and sharply tailored suits with padded peplums and busts—hallmarks of 1980s fashion form. His creations included extremely tight skirts paired with high spike heels, oversized hats, gloves, and boned corsetry aligning with contemporaries such as Thierry Mugler.

Throughout both phases—the mid-1970s Soft Look and late-1970s to 1980s broad-shoulder style—Lagerfeld often incorporated eighteenth-century motifs. For instance, his Fall 1977 collection showcased lace trims, headwear, and thigh-high boots inspired by that century; similarly, Fall 1979 featured millinery reminiscent of Napoleonic bicornes alongside military-style leggings.

During the 1980s, Lagerfeld continued championing shoulder-padded ensembles paired with mini skirts while also presenting softer alternatives like long dirndl skirts accompanied by layered shawls. He emphasized weightless volume that allowed freedom of movement but reintroduced corsets and girdles worn over garments to enhance shape definition. His experimentation with varying skirt lengths and trouser cuts reflected evolving demands of contemporary women’s wardrobes.

Global Recognition with Chanel (1982–2000)

During the 1980s, Lagerfeld was appointed by Chanel, a brand that had been regarded as nearly defunct following Coco Chanel’s passing ten years earlier. Assuming control of the couture division in 1983, he revitalized the fashion house and elevated its ready-to-wear collection into a highly successful enterprise. Lagerfeld prominently reintroduced Coco Chanel’s signature interlocking CC logo as a central element of the brand’s visual identity.

He updated the classic Chanel silhouette by incorporating padded shoulders, shortening and tapering skirts, increasing heel heights, and resizing accessories such as jewelry and handbags—changes that generated debate but ultimately rejuvenated the brand’s image. Among his boldest moves was the introduction of skirts above the knee, despite Coco Chanel’s original opposition to such hemlines. This stylistic shift had its roots in 1982 with Hervé Léger, one of Lagerfeld’s protégés, indicating his influence even prior to officially joining Chanel.

In 1984, Lagerfeld launched his own label, "Karl Lagerfeld," specializing in ready-to-wear apparel that emphasized a concept he described as "intellectual sexiness." Initially collaborating with Bidermann Industries USA for ownership and licensing arrangements, this partnership ended in 1989. That same year, he expanded his label by adding two menswear collections. The Karl Lagerfeld brand was eventually acquired by Cora Revillon Group, which managed production and marketing aspects excluding fragrances.

By 1992, Dunhill Holdings—part of the Vendôme Luxury Group—acquired the Karl Lagerfeld brand from Cora Revillon for approximately $30 million. This acquisition coincided with Lagerfeld’s return to designing for Chloé. Vendôme maintained control of the label until 1997, when it was sold back to Lagerfeld for a nominal fee of one franc following the conclusion of his contract with Chloé. Lagerfeld openly criticized how Vendôme had managed the brand during their tenure.

Throughout the 1980s, Lagerfeld flourished amid a resurgence of historical fashion trends—ranging from shoulder-padded styles reminiscent of the 1940s and 1950s to mid-1980s pouf skirts and crinolines—seamlessly incorporating these influences into both his personal label and Chanel collections. By 1986, he notably transitioned shoulder pads from being placed on the shoulders to positioning them at the hips, reflecting evolving structural trends within fashion design.

Fashion

In December 2006, Lagerfeld unveiled a new collection under the name K Karl Lagerfeld, featuring tailored T-shirts alongside an extensive selection of jeans for both men and women. In September 2010, The Couture Council of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology recognized him with The Couture Council Fashion Visionary Award during a benefit luncheon held in New York City. Later that year, in November 2010, he partnered with Swedish crystal maker Orrefors to create a crystal art series that premiered in spring 2011 under the title Orrefors by Karl Lagerfeld.

In 2012, Lagerfeld published The Little Black Jacket, a photo-book highlighting portraits of celebrities, models, and acquaintances. Two years later, Palm Beach Modern Auctions announced plans to auction many of his early design sketches created for the House of Tiziani in Rome.

Renowned for his ability to tailor his creative approach to suit each fashion house he collaborated with, Lagerfeld received acclaim from fellow designers including Anna Sui and Clare Waight Keller for his "chameleon-like adaptability." In November 2015, he was honored with the Outstanding Achievement Award at the British Fashion Awards, presented by Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue.

Collaborations

Karl Lagerfeld gained acclaim for his innovative partnerships, merging high-end fashion with mainstream markets. His groundbreaking 2004 capsule collection with H&M was the retailer’s inaugural designer collaboration, achieving swift sellouts and transforming fashion retail by making designer pieces more accessible, while sparking a wave of similar collaborations across the industry.

Significant collaborations include:

• In 2002, Lagerfeld teamed up with Diesel’s Renzo Rosso to produce a limited denim line named Lagerfeld Gallery by Diesel, available exclusively at select international outlets.
• The 2004 H&M capsule collection dismantled traditional barriers between luxury and mass-market apparel, greatly impacting retail approaches.
• For the French market in 2010, he designed special edition Coca-Cola Light bottles and directed an advertising campaign starring Coco Rocha and Baptiste Giabiconi; a subsequent bottle series was released in 2011.
• In 2012, Lagerfeld joined forces with Japanese cosmetics brand Shu Uemura and artistic director Kakuyasu Uchiide to create a holiday makeup collection.
• Mattel introduced a "Barbie Lagerfeld" doll in 2014 that embodied his distinctive aesthetic.
• The 2016 "Karlbox" collection, developed with Faber-Castell, offered premium artist tools as a luxury art supply line.
• Collaborations with Vans in 2017 and Puma in 2018 produced limited-edition sneaker and accessory collections inspired by Lagerfeld’s personal fashion sense.
• As an avid collector of Christofle silverware, he partnered with the brand in 2018 on an exclusive cutlery set; additionally, he worked with Orrefors to design crystal glassware collections.

These ventures extended Lagerfeld’s reach beyond apparel into lifestyle categories, boosting his brand’s visibility and accessibility across varied consumer segments.

Awards

In September 2010, the Couture Council at The Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology honored Lagerfeld with the Couture Council Fashion Visionary Award during a New York City benefit event.

November 2015 saw him receive the Outstanding Achievement Award at the British Fashion Awards, presented by Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue. In 2017, he was bestowed the John B. Fairchild Award by WWD.

Final collection

Lagerfeld’s concluding Chanel collection embraced an Alpine après-ski motif. Respecting his wish to forego a funeral, the show observed a moment of silence and featured chairs adorned with his image alongside Coco Chanel’s bearing the inscription "the beat goes on". Despite his composed approach to his passing, visible emotion was evident among models and attendees.

Other media

Beginning photography in 1987 primarily to enhance Chanel press images, Lagerfeld was encouraged by Chanel’s then-image director Éric Pfrunder to pursue it further. Photography evolved into a significant passion alongside his fashion work. He produced commercial campaigns, editorial shoots for magazines like Harper's Bazaar, as well as architectural and landscape photography. Calling himself "an illustrator with a camera," his photographic creations were widely exhibited.

In 1994, German publisher Steidl issued Off the Record, a compilation of Lagerfeld’s photographs. Steidl later published numerous volumes of his work including 2012’s The Little Black Jacket, featuring 113 portraits of celebrities and models, and 2015’s Karl Lagerfeld: Casa Malaparte, documenting an iconic Italian modernist home.

Lagerfeld collaborated with Dubai Infinity Holdings (DIH) to design limited edition residences on Isla Moda. The 2007 documentary Lagerfeld Confidential chronicled his career that year. He also lent his voice as host of fictional radio station K109 in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV and its expansions.

In 2008, Steiff released a limited Karl Lagerfeld teddy bear priced at $1,500. Miniature versions appeared as mice and finger puppets under Tra Tutti in 2009. He provided voice acting for a character in the French animated film Totally Spies! The Movie.

Starting in 1996, Zürich’s Galerie Gmurzynska exhibited his photographic works. In 1999, he founded 7L, a Parisian bookstore dedicated to photography and visual arts. In collaboration with Steidl in 2000, he launched Editions 7L to publish rare fashion and photography books. After his passing, 7L was transformed into a cultural event venue.

The Maison Européenne de la Photographie hosted Lagerfeld’s most extensive photography retrospective in 2010, showcasing everything from Chanel campaigns to abstract landscapes and architectural studies such as "Another Side of Versailles" (2007).

Later in life, fulfilling a childhood dream, Lagerfeld became a professional caricaturist; from 2013 onwards his political cartoons appeared regularly in Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

In 2013, he directed the short film Once Upon a Time..., featuring Keira Knightley as Coco Chanel. By June 2016, he had been commissioned to design residential lobbies for The Estates at Acqualina in Miami’s Sunny Isles Beach.

An exhibition inspired by classical mythology featuring Lagerfeld’s photography was held at Palazzo Pitti in 2016.

In October 2018, he partnered with Carpenters Workshop Gallery to unveil Architectures, an art series comprising functional sculptures crafted from rare Arabescato Fantastico and Nero Marquina marble. This collection included gueridons, tables, lamps, consoles, fountains, and mirrors drawing inspiration from ancient motifs and contemporary mythology.

Following his death in 2019, Galerie Gmurzynska organized an extensive retrospective spanning three decades of Lagerfeld’s artistic output.

Personal life

Lagerfeld was instantly recognizable by his distinctive white hair, dark sunglasses, fingerless gloves, and his trademark high, starched detachable collars.

He shared an 18-year relationship with French nobleman Jacques de Bascher (1951–1989), which Lagerfeld characterized as deeply affectionate but non-sexual. De Bascher later became involved with designer Yves Saint Laurent, creating friction between their respective fashion houses. De Bascher passed away from AIDS in 1989, with Lagerfeld remaining at his side during his final moments. Following Lagerfeld’s own passing, it was reported that his ashes might be combined with those of either de Bascher or his mother.

Throughout his life, Lagerfeld possessed several residences, including Parisian apartments on Rue de l'Université and in Manhattan, the historic 18th-century Chateau de Penhoët in Brittany, Villa Jako located in Hamburg, Villa La Vigie in France, a summer retreat in Biarritz, and a 19th-century home in Vermont. Beginning in 2007, he also owned an early 19th-century house on Quai Voltaire in Paris, decorated with a blend of modern and Art Deco influences. These homes were frequently showcased in Vogue, emphasizing his sophisticated style and his vast collection of Suzanne Belperron jewelry, which notably inspired Chanel’s spring/summer 2012 line.

Lagerfeld was well-known for owning a red-point Birman cat named Choupette, whom he jokingly claimed he would marry if the law permitted. Reports suggest that he allocated nearly $1.5 million in his will to ensure Choupette’s care.

Weight loss

In 2001, Lagerfeld shed considerable weight driven by the desire to fit into designs by Hedi Slimane that favored a slimmer figure. The regimen was developed by Jean-Claude Houdret and detailed in The Karl Lagerfeld Diet, which Lagerfeld promoted during appearances on programs such as Larry King Live.

Book collecting

An avid book lover, Lagerfeld built one of the largest private libraries worldwide, amassing an estimated 300,000 volumes. His commitment to collecting books surpassed other material possessions, highlighting the importance he placed on this passion.

Death, tributes, and retrospectives

Following health issues, Lagerfeld was admitted to the hospital on 18 February 2019 and passed away the following day due to complications related to prostate cancer. He requested no formal funeral service; instead, his ashes were privately scattered alongside those of his mother and his late partner Jacques de Bascher.

On 20 June 2019, the Grand Palais hosted "Karl For Ever," an extensive retrospective celebrating Lagerfeld’s illustrious career at Chloé, Fendi, Chanel, and under his own label. The exhibition included nearly 60 large-scale portraits and welcomed 2,500 attendees. Performances were delivered by prominent figures such as Tilda Swinton, Cara Delevingne, Helen Mirren, Pharrell Williams, and Lang Lang. The production was directed by theater specialist Robert Carsen.

The traveling exhibition “Lagerfeld: The Chanel Shows” by Simon Procter toured cities including London, Paris, Dubai, Boca Raton, and Miami. In February 2020, Eden Gallery paid tribute to Lagerfeld through an exhibition featuring sculptures and paintings inspired by his creative legacy.

The White Shirt Project

In July 2019, Karl Lagerfeld’s fashion house introduced "The White Shirt Project," a series of reinterpreted iconic white shirts created to honor the late designer’s enduring influence. Lagerfeld famously described the white shirt as "the foundation of everything" within fashion.

Curated by Carine Roitfeld, Lagerfeld’s Style Advisor, the collection presented designs from notable contributors such as Cara Delevingne, Kate Moss, Tommy Hilfiger, Diane Kruger, Takashi Murakami, Amber Valletta, and British street artist Endless. The collection was unveiled during a tribute event at Paris Fashion Week featuring appearances by Anna Wintour, Kaia Gerber, and Karlie Kloss.

Reflecting Lagerfeld’s affinity for the number seven, the final seven designs were each produced in limited editions of 77 copies and sold at €777 apiece. Proceeds benefited a French charity associated with Paris Descartes University, aligning the initiative with philanthropic aims while underscoring Lagerfeld’s lasting impact on fashion.

2023 Costume Institute Exhibition and Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presented a comprehensive retrospective titled Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, featuring more than 150 creations spanning his six decades of work with renowned fashion houses such as Balmain, Patou, Chloé, Fendi, Chanel, and his own label.

This exhibition was made possible through support from Chanel, Fendi, Condé Nast, and Lagerfeld's brand, aligning with the 2023 Met Gala, which was co-chaired by Michaela Coel, Penélope Cruz, Roger Federer, Dua Lipa, and Condé Nast Global Chief Content Officer Anna Wintour. The exhibit’s design was crafted by Tadao Ando, a laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Curator Andrew Bolton emphasized the exhibition's exploration of Lagerfeld’s creative methodology, showcasing both his original sketches and the iconic shapes that defined his collections.

Controversies

In 1994, Lagerfeld encountered significant criticism after incorporating a Quran verse on three Chanel dresses; he subsequently apologized and destroyed the garments. The Indonesian Muslim Scholars Council urged a boycott and threatened protests directed at the German government. Lagerfeld explained that he had mistaken the verse for a love poem found in a book about the Taj Mahal.

A staunch advocate for fur in fashion, Lagerfeld defended its use despite personally abstaining from wearing it. In 2009, he asserted that hunters contribute to human safety by controlling animal populations and dismissed discussions around fur as "childish." Animal rights organization PETA labeled him "a fashion dinosaur" and organized protests against him, including a 2001 incident where pies intended for Lagerfeld accidentally struck Calvin Klein. After Lagerfeld introduced faux fur in Chanel’s 2010 collection, PETA acknowledged this move as a positive step toward synthetic materials.

Lagerfeld also sparked controversy through remarks about public figures such as Heidi Klum, whom he considered unimportant in haute couture circles, and Adele, whom he described as "a little too fat," eliciting a confident response from the singer. In 2012, he made disparaging comments about Pippa Middleton's looks. His caricature portraying Harvey Weinstein as a pig drew condemnation for being antisemitic and dehumanizing.

On political matters, Lagerfeld criticized German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s immigration stance amid the European migrant crisis. He linked this policy to the growing popularity of the Alternative for Germany party and expressed his intention to renounce his German citizenship due to what he saw as increased Muslim immigration coupled with neo-Nazi activity.

In 2019, Lagerfeld dismissed the #MeToo movement by suggesting models should either accept harassment or leave the profession. He opposed new protective regulations for young models and defended stylist Karl Templer amid allegations of misconduct while simultaneously condemning Harvey Weinstein on professional grounds.

Lagerfeld revealed in 2007 that much of his provocative public persona was deliberately cultivated as a form of performance.