Karl
The Longread is dedicated to a great person — with deep respect and admiration
Lagerfeld
"The
of Fashion"
"I remember as a child one day I was sitting and drawing on my mother's desk in a special room in a country house and I said to myself (it's ridiculous): "I think I will become a Legend". I was, perhaps, eight…".
...
Publisher
Actor
Writer
Interior designer
Perfumer
Collectioner
Photographer
Fashion designer
"As a child I remember one day I was sitting and drawing on my mother’s desk in a special room in a country house, and I said to myself (it's ridiculous): "I think I will become a Legend". I was, perhaps, eight…".
of Fashion"
Kaizer
...
Publisher
Actor
Writer
Interior designer
Perfumer
Collectioner
Photographer
Fashion designer
According to official data, Karl Otto Lagerfeld was born on September 10, 1933 in Hamburg in a large entrepreneur's family, a condensed mill production factory owner.
Karl had two sisters — a half-sister Tea and an elder one — Marta-Christiana had been living in the USA since 1957
his
called
of his birth
Documental facts
different dates
Lagerfeld
K.Lagerfeld:
"Youthfulness is about how you live not when you were born".
Pictured: Young Karl Lagerfeld
The fashion show reflected a new female image vision that replaced the strict wartime silhouettes; the collection was prepared by about 700 seamstresses
Pictured: the Dior's Fashion Shows 1947-50s fragments
Paris
At the age of 19, Lagerfeld moved to Paris with his mother and began studying at the High Fashion Syndicate.
Having never defended his diploma, but showing great talent
and diligence, Karl Lagerfeld creates his own powerful fashion empire and becomes one of the most influential world's Haute couture business persones
and diligence, Karl Lagerfeld creates his own powerful fashion empire and becomes one of the most influential world's Haute couture business persones
Pictured: destroyed post-war Humburg
Returning to his hometown in 1949, the young Karl Lagerfeld first time attends Christian Dior’s Autumn / Winter Fashion Show that makes a strong impression on him
In 1944, the war and the destroyed Hamburg forced the Lagerfields to move to their estate in Bad Bramstedt for five long years.
Hamburg —
Bad Bramstedt — Hamburg
Bad Bramstedt — Hamburg
Lagerfeld named different dates of his birth — from 1933 to 1938s, but in an interview from 2013 he said he was born in 1935 reffering the date's confusion his mother's fault.
3
8
5
6
true age,
8
9
–
3
3
1
3
9
1
Lagerfeld achieved everything himself: in his early years his career developed slowly, but his talent and love for his work made the whole world talk about him as a "Kaizer Karl" or "King of Fashion"
Haute couture (French) — "High Fashion"
Maestro
the way to
Haute couture
Lagerfeld:
Pret-a-porter (fr. Prêt-à-porter) — models of clothing for mass production
Head of Chloé
While working at Chloé, Lagerfeld was engaged in the creation of pret-a-porte collections; cooperation with Chloé lasted until mid-1968, until the Fashion house changed it's owners.
Lagerfeld was awarded the "Golden Spinning Wheel" for his achievements in the field of High Fashion, and this award was just one of his several ones.
Woven from of 36 sable skins, treated with a special composition to get the "moonlight radiance" effect, decorated with an orchid, this fur coat was valued at € 1,000,000
«Golden spinning wheel»
Lagerfeld was given an Award for 'coat design' by participating in a 'competition' from the International Wool Secretariat; 17-year-old Yves Saint Laurent was declared the winner.
After the Contest Pierre Balmain, one of the Jury members, invited Karl to become his assistant — Lagerfeld worked in his Fashion House until 1962; they become friends with Saint Laurent and this friendship lasted for more than 20 years, until 1975
1963
1973
1966
Later, in 2010, for his culture and art development contribution, Lagerfeld will be awarded as a Knight of the Honor Legion
Lagerfeld later returned to Chloé in 1992 and served as Chief Fashion Designer until 1997
Head of Fendi
4 Houses
1958
1965
Working with Fendi, Lagerfeld created collections of natural leather and fur, not considering using them reprehensible for clothing production what he'll be regularly attacked by animal rights activists for.
Since 1963, Lagerfeld has been doing almost the impossible — collaborating with four fashion houses at the same time: Chloé, Krizia, Charles Jaurdan, Fendi
Since 1958 Lagerfeld worked as a creative director for Jean Patou; although he was bored, he takes over the secrets of craftsmanship from the cutter Alfounsine and the warehouse head, Mr. Gabriel, and creates a "K-Line" — with a simple front, a contoured back and an overstated waist — for everyone’s surpise
In 2015, as part of the Paris Haute Couture Week, Lagerfeld, as part of the Fendi "High Fur" Collection, presented the world’s most expensive fur coat
1954
First Prize
Pictured: Lagerfeld (left) и Saint Laurent (right) after the Contest of 1954
At Vienna University of Applied Arts, Karl Lagerfeld’s teaching colleagues were many famous artists, directors, designers — Vivienne Westwood, Oscar Kokoschka, etc.
Head of Chanel
A Karl Lagerfeld Fashion House 'Impression'
While working at Channel,
like at Chloé, Lagerfeld was first engaged in creating pret-a-porte collections, but the course was taken to revive the Fashion House former glory — and Karl was really succeeded with it
like at Chloé, Lagerfeld was first engaged in creating pret-a-porte collections, but the course was taken to revive the Fashion House former glory — and Karl was really succeeded with it
Owning his own Fashion House — 'Karl Lagerfeld Impression' — become a natural result of many years Lagerfeld’s work and creativity, despite the fact that Fashion Olympus has already long submitted to him by this moment
1984
1983
Professor of Higher Education
1979
Olympus
Jean Patou
The demonstration of the "One million fur coat" caused another flurry of criticism from zoo activists
Kaizer (German) — "King"
1984 – 2019
Leaving Chloé In 1983, for the position of Chanel creative director, and then establishing in 1984 his own brand, Lagerfeld remained the creative director of these two brands until the end of his life, and no doubt no one could do more for them
A Creative Director of the Karl Lagerfeld's Brand, Chanel, Fendi
Lagerfeld achieved everything himself: in his early years his career developed slowly, but his talent and love for his work made the whole world talk about him as a "Kaizer Karl" or "King of Fashion"
Haute couture (French) — "High Fashion"
Maestro
the way to
Haute couture
Lagerfeld:
Pret-a-porter (fr. Prêt-à-porter) — models of clothing for mass production
Head of Chloé
While working at Chloé, Lagerfeld was engaged in the creation of pret-a-porte collections; cooperation with Chloé lasted until mid-1968, until the Fashion house changed it's owners.
Lagerfeld was awarded the "Golden Spinning Wheel" for his achievements in the field of High Fashion, and this award was just one of his several ones.
Woven from of 36 sable skins, treated with a special composition to get the "moonlight radiance" effect, decorated with an orchid, this fur coat was valued at € 1,000,000
«Golden spinning wheel»
Lagerfeld was given an Award for 'coat design' by participating in a 'competition' from the International Wool Secretariat; 17-year-old Yves Saint Laurent was declared the winner.
After the Contest Pierre Balmain, one of the Jury members, invited Karl to become his assistant — Lagerfeld worked in his Fashion House until 1962; they become friends with Saint Laurent and this friendship lasted for more than 20 years, until 1975
1963
1973
1966
Later, in 2010, for his culture and art development contribution, Lagerfeld will be awarded as a Knight of the Honor Legion
Lagerfeld later returned to Chloé in 1992 and served as Chief Fashion Designer until 1997
Head of Fendi
4 Houses
1958
1965
Working with Fendi, Lagerfeld created collections of natural leather and fur, not considering using them reprehensible for clothing production what he'll be regularly attacked by animal rights activists for.
Since 1963, Lagerfeld has been doing almost the impossible — collaborating with four fashion houses at the same time: Chloé, Krizia, Charles Jaurdan, Fendi
Since 1958 Lagerfeld worked as a creative director for Jean Patou; although he was bored, he takes over the secrets of craftsmanship from the cutter Alfounsine and the warehouse head, Mr. Gabriel, and creates a "K-Line" — with a simple front, a contoured back and an overstated waist — for everyone’s surpise
In 2015, as part of the Paris Haute Couture Week, Lagerfeld, as part of the Fendi "High Fur" Collection, presented the world’s most expensive fur coat
1954
First Prize
Pictured: Lagerfeld (left) и Saint Laurent (right) after the Contest of 1954
At Vienna University of Applied Arts, Karl Lagerfeld’s teaching colleagues were many famous artists, directors, designers — Vivienne Westwood, Oscar Kokoschka, etc.
Head of Chanel
A Karl Lagerfeld Fashion House 'Impression'
While working at Channel,
like at Chloé, Lagerfeld was first engaged in creating pret-a-porte collections, but the course was taken to revive the Fashion House former glory — and Karl was really succeeded with it
like at Chloé, Lagerfeld was first engaged in creating pret-a-porte collections, but the course was taken to revive the Fashion House former glory — and Karl was really succeeded with it
Owning his own Fashion House — 'Karl Lagerfeld Impression' — become a natural result of many years Lagerfeld’s work and creativity, despite the fact that Fashion Olympus has already long submitted to him by this moment
1984
1983
Professor of Higher Education
1979
Olympus
Jean Patou
The demonstration of the "One million fur coat" caused another flurry of criticism from zoo activists
Kaizer (German) — "King"
1984 – 2019
Leaving Chloé In 1983, for the position of Chanel creative director, and then establishing in 1984 his own brand, Lagerfeld remained the creative director of these two brands until the end of his life, and no doubt no one could do more for them
A Creative Director of the Karl Lagerfeld's Brand, Chanel, Fendi