The leading fashion event of the year is just around the corner, and the theme is dedicated to the tribute to Karl Lagerfeld. Time to recall the defining moments of his biography.
Childhood
Karl Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg and his birthday has been a mystery for a while. Lagerfeld hid his true age by giving people and interviewers different dates, and only years later it has become a known fact that the designer’s birthday is on September 10, 1933.
More is known about his childhood: his father was a language enthusiast and the future designer kept up: Karl Lagerfeld learned English, German, Italian, and French, which came in handy when he and his mother moved to Paris.
Balmain
The beginning of the designer’s career took place in France, as he won the International Woolmark Prize with his sketch, and got an invitation from Pierre Balmain to work at his fashion house. It was at this competition that he also met his future friend Yves Saint Laurent.
Jean Patou
After working at Balmain, Lagerfeld became the art director for the haute couture lines at Jean Patou. Unfortunately, the collections received negative reviews and after some time designer decided to move to Rome to study art history. Shortly after he returned to Paris.
Chloé
In 1964, Karl Lagerfeld began to work with the Parisian fashion house Chloé. His collections left no one indifferent, among those who admired Lagerfeld’s designs were Brigitte Bardot, Jacqueline Kennedy and Grace Kelly.
Fendi
Karl Lagerfeld started working with Fendi in 1965, and he completely transformed the brand’s image and popularity. The designer changed the Fendi logo to two letters F for Fun Furs, which the brand still uses to this day.
Chanel
Lagerfeld joined Chanel in 1983 and basically rescued it. After the death of Gabrielle Chanel, it was more than ten years before someone took her place. Although Karl Lagerfeld’s first collection caused a big scandal: the clothes differed from what the brand usually represented as they were too provocative and revealing, it brought the fashion house back to life.
Chanel’s First Show Post-Karl Lagerfeld, 2019. Credits: cools.com
Karl Lagerfeld: brand
In 1984, he founded his own brand – Karl Lagerfeld. Initially, its focus was on creating premium men’s clothing, but over time the line broadened to women’s clothing, accessories, and shoes.
The incredible genius who worked with three brands at once was not just a fashion designer. Karl Lagerfeld was also a photographer, illustrator, publisher, and a big cat-lover. It’s impossible not to mention his cat, Choupette, who by the way was officially invited to the Met Gala and to whom he left all his fortune.
Karl Lagerfeld is one of the most influential figures in the fashion industry, and this year’s Met Gala promises to be very special and exciting. We expect a lot of vintage Jean Patou, Fendi, Chloé, and Chanel and the most remarkable and eye-catching looks from the designer’s many muses: Cara Delevingne, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Natalia Vodianova, Devon Aoki, and Lily-Rose Depp.
