Talks

Today we commemorate one of fashion’s idols, otherwise called the “Renaissance Man” or the emperor of fashion, Karl Lagerfeld. Not only was he quadrilingual and had an incredibly creative and modern way of thinking, but he was also a true businessman, managing to redefine the rules for house of Chanel, on the verge of disappearing at the time. After working for Pierre Balmain, Jean Patou and Chloe at the beginning of his career, he took on board Fendi’s ready-to-wear collections, growing the brand to a multi-billion-dollar luxury label. At the peak of his career, he was working for both Fendi and Chanel, while simultaneously exploring his creative vision beyond fashion collections and shows, shooting ad campaigns and art photography. In 1984, he founded his eponymous brand to maintain his legacy, but later sold it, remaining its chief creative. Karl’s style was recognisable as he always wore dark glasses, a stylised ponytail and fingerless gloves. He had numerous pop culture collaborations among his many projects, such as those with Coca-Cola and Mattel’s Barbie. He also created a series of short films called “Once Upon a Time”, educating people on the history of Chanel, starring well-known actress and brand ambassador Keira Knightley. As for his muses, always governed by an air of rebellion and independence, he chose iconic women like Vanessa Paradis and Kate Moss and later propelled the careers of young celebrities Cara Delevingne, Kristen Stewart and Lily-Rose Depp, to name a few. After his death in February 2019, it was rumoured that he had left his fortune to his Birman cat, Choupette, from whom he drew his most profound inspiration.
Article by Andreea Popa, Dressingz Editor

Photo Credits: 

Cover image: Karl Lagerfeld and Choupette via Pinterest

Image 1: Karl Lagerfeld at work (circa 1983) photographed by Pierre Vauthey via Getty Images

Image 2: Karl Lagerfeld portrait via vogue.com

Image 3: Kate Moss and Karl Lagerfeld photographed by Ellen von Unwerth

Image 4: Vanessa Paradis & Karl Lagerfeld via tristangodefroy.com

Image 5: Karl Lagerfeld self-portrait via wsj.com