May your unparalleled vision live on and continue to push the fashion industry in the right creative direction.
Karl Lagerfeld, the flamboyant creative director of Chanel and genius behind Fendi, passed away in Paris, regarded as the "city he helped transform into the fashion capital of the world". The fashion industry and global audience Lagerfeld inspired continue to mourn the death of the gifted icon since the morning of February 19, 2019. He frowned at fashion fau pas, viewing sweatpants as a "sign of defeat", hated conversing with "PC" (politically correct) individuals because they bore him, and never failed to honor Coco's vision for the French-based powerhouse, Chanel.
The cat-lover was so fond of his feline friend, "Choupette", that he named her in his will and transformed her into a social media sensation, pampering her with meals of king crab, smoked salmon and caviar. He not only demonstrated immense generosity, gratitude and love for Choupette, but for his loved ones and work. Lagerfeld lives on as a controversial figure with comments on him ranging from worthiest and visionary to fat-phobic and problematic. The German designer was no stranger to speaking his mind, when questioned about the #MeToo movement, he concluded,"If you don't want your pants pulled about, don't become a model". His controversial statements are funneled by his view on success and self-worth, concluding that, "Everything I say is a joke. I am a joke of myself". While I don't agree with all of his statements, it's nearly impossible to ignore his existence as the man of fashion. I can ignore neither his disputable comments nor his unforgettable role in cultural diffusion and modern elegance.
His enviable career
1954- Lagerfeld's sketch for the International Wool Association gains the attention of Pierre Balmain and begins his career as an assistant for the influential designer
1957- Jean Patou names Lagerfeld as his premier art director
1965- Lagerfeld begins working for Fendi
1975- Launches his career as the first fashion designer of a fragrance, Chloe, without a definitive label of his own
1983- Lagerfeld becomes the creative director of Chanel
1984- Continues his work with Chanel and Fendi while launching his own fashion house, Karl Lagerfeld
1987- Showcases his talent for photography by shooting his own campaigns and eventually photographing celebrities, including Kim Kardashian
1999- (the year I was born!!) Lagerfeld further broadcasts his photographic abilities by opening his own bookshop in Paris, 7L, and in the following year, Editions 7L
2004- Crowned first designer to collaborate with H&M on 30 pieces
2007- Interiorly designs luxury residences with DIH
2010- Takes part in the creation of the Pirelli Calendar
2012- Develops Shu Uemura's packaging, advertising, campaigning and visuals and begins his creation of four shoe collections with the Brazilian brand, Melissa
2013- Fendi tributes Lagerfeld's photographical coverage of Rome during Paris couture week
2014- Chanel hosts a fashion show on the Barbie Lagerfeld limited edition in Havana; the fashion house's first show in Latin America
2016- Further contributes to cultural infusion by including G-III Apparel in 19% of the Karl Lagerfeld Group's stakes and releases his own bridal jewelry to a global market. Additionally, he designs a private label focused around women with Seibu Sogo and appears at the Chanel Fashion Show in Cuba. To top this, he provides aspiring designers with the tools for sketching in the "Faber-Castell Karlbox".
2017- Demonstrates his love for Choupette by designing a plush toy of Choupette. In 2017, he also collaborates with Steve Wilson to create a capsule collection.
2018- Teams up with Cindy Crawford's daughter, Kaia, to design "Karl X Kaia". Netflix releases a high-quality documentary on Lagerfeld, named 7 Days Out.
2019- Lagerfeld's Fall 2019 Collection will feature the collaborative work with "visionary editor", Carine Roitfeld
2019- Olivia Palermo joins the team of collaborative influencers that are blessed by working with Lagerfeld. Following Lagerfeld's death, Virginie Viard is announced as his Chanel successor.
Information via Fashion United
Lagerfeld-Lookbook
Featured: Lagerfeld at the Chanel Garden in 1988
Lagerfeld hard at work in September 2018
Lagerfeld poses with models, Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista, at the Chanel Haute Couture Show Fall/Winter 1992-1993
Lagerfeld and Choupette
Karl X Kaia
Sketches with love, from Karl to Coco
Only Lagerfeld could pose with a pair of scissors and manage to look chic instead of creepy...
Lagerfeld at the 1983 Chanel Haute Couture Show
There's many more images that I could have included, however no abundance of pictures or content could fully capture his influence. He will never be forgotten.
And for those college students who swoon over Chanel but can't yet afford it, remember, "Today everybody can look chic in inexpensive clothes... There is a good clothing design on every level today. You can be the chicest thing in the world in a T-shirt and jeans- it's up to you."- Karl Lagerfeld.
xx- Alex
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