Farewell To A Legendary Icon: Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Lagerfeld, creative director of Chanel, passed away in Paris Tuesday morning, leaving the fashion world in mourning and shock. Let’s take a look at the life of a creative genius, fashion legend, and “Giant Among Men,” as Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, labeled him.
via Chatter Busy
Born in Hamburg in 1933, Lagerfeld began his unforgettable career with Balmain, then to Chloe and Fendi, before making Chanel his home in 1983. Introducing the trademark interlocked “CC” monogram as a pattern in his designs, revitalized the brand that was on the brink of becoming old and irrelevant. His signature ponytail, suits, sunglasses, and cat, Choupette, made him an icon recognized even by those not in the fashion industry.
via Zimbio
Lagerfeld managed to maintain the elevated status of Chanel as a high-fashion brand for over 30 years, a feat most designers can only dream of. Chanel’s runway shows were among the most hotly anticipated each season, always going above and beyond in terms of stage design and, of course, the collection itself; Lagerfeld’s genius transported attendees to grocery stores, protests, airports, and, most recently, the beach. Lagerfeld has been touted as a “Pop Culture Savant” by Vogue, a characteristic that helped him revive any brand that he touched and, influence anyone who laid eyes on his work.
“When I took over Chanel, everybody said to me, ‘Don’t touch it. It’s dead. There’s nothing you can do.’ And I said to myself, ‘I love that people think that. Now let’s see.”
-Karl Lagerfeld, October 2017, WWD
Karl Lagerfeld was fiercely devoted to his work, producing six Chanel collections a year, along with his work for Fendi and his eponymous label, Karl Lagerfeld. He worked up until the day that he passed, giving direction to his Fendi team for the Autumn/Winter RTW collection set to show in Milan, Italy on Thursday.
His ability to reimagine the female silhouette while keeping his finger on the pulse of the world was truly remarkable. He broke the mold of the fashion industry, becoming the first luxury designer to partner with H&M in 2004, leading to H&M’s yearly designer collaboration, and showing his collections all over the world instead of being confined to the top four fashion cities( New York, London, Milan, and Paris).
It’s hard to find anyone in the fashion industry who has not been influenced by Lagerfeld’s talent, from couturiers like Donatella Versace to street-wear moguls like Virgil Abloh. He helped push the fashion industry forward while paying homage to its past, especially when it came to Chanel, continually repurposing the brand’s signature use of tweed and dedication to the female form. His ability to shock and awe the fashion world was unmatched. He featured Miley Cyrus in a campaign, causing an uproar from his peers, asking why he would associate his brand with someone not previously equated to luxury or couture. But in these types of collaborations, he was able to capture a younger generation who will forever look up to Chanel, allowing the brand to live on far after he’s gone.
While we celebrate his work and accomplishments, it’s important to also remember Karl Lagerfeld as a person. He had strong opinions about everything, which surely contributed to his artistic genius. He called sweatpants a “sign of defeat” and did not believe in lifetime achievements, saying “for me, it’s all about the next collection.” It’s difficult to find a fashion documentary in which he is not featured, giving his two cents on the fashion industry and touching on the topic at hand. However, he also had some less popular opinions, stating “if you don’t want your pants pulled about, don’t become a model!” and following up with “join a nunnery, there’ll always be a place for you in the convent” in response to the #MeToo movement.
via Vanity Fair
In commemorating someone so prolific and utterly talented, we shouldn’t immortalize them in perfection, but rather remember the icon for everything he stood for, and ask how we as people, and an industry as a whole, can learn and grow from the life he lived and the point of view he shared. The fashion industry has long been stuck in a past known for underrepresentation and marginalization; but Lagerfeld’s beacon of light, has proven that it’s possible to revive and create something still rooted in and influenced by the past. It’s time now to continue his legacy of infinite determination, creativity, and boundless self expression.
cover via WWD