FASHIONABLY LATE
The life of Karl Lagerfeld
He was one of the most iconic figures in fashion – from his signature monochrome outfit, white ponytail and black gloves through to his often acerbic tongue and, of course, his covetable designs.
And now, the fashion industry is mourning the loss of its king, Chanel couturier Karl Lagerfeld, who passed away in Paris last week aged 85, following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Fashion’s elite have been quick to pay tribute to the designer, with the likes of Diane Kruger, Victoria Beckham, Sir Elton John, Cindy Crawford and Donatella Versace sharing their admiration for Karl, who spent more than 60 years in the luxury fashion industry, 35 of them at Chanel.
Born in Germany in 1933, Karl moved to Paris as a teenager, and got his big break when he won a coat-design contest and was hired by Pierre Balmain. He also made friends with the winner of the dress category, Yves Saint Laurent.
Roles at Fendi and Chloé followed, but it was his tenure at Chanel, beginning in 1983, that cemented his status as a fashion legend. When he was hired, the label was languishing following Coco Chanel’s death, but Karl’s vision elevated the company to new heights. He remained the label’s creative director until he died.
While fashion’s elite loved him, Karl’s loose lips landed him in hot water. The royal family still refuse to wear Chanel following his remarks about the Duchess of Cambridge’s sister, Pippa Middleton. “I don’t like the sister’s face,” he said. “She should only show her back.”
He once told a magazine that Princess Diana “was pretty and she was sweet, but she was stupid”. In the same interview, he said Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall was the life of the party. “She’s sparkling, she’s witty, she’s ready for everything.”
In 2012 he also offended fans of the singer Adele when he dubbed her “a little too fat”, and in 2013, he managed to upset the whole of Russia when he said, “If I was a woman in Russia, I would be a lesbian, as the men are very ugly.”
The famous eccentric was notoriously private about his own love life. He was with Jacques de Bascher for 18 years before the socialite died of Aids in 1989, aged just 38.
The love of Karl’s later life was his Birman cat, Choupette, which has a bodyguard, two maids and a personal fortune of about $5 million, earned from various advertisements – though Karl forbade her from doing cat-food ads. “She is too sophisticated for that,” he said.
It seems Choupette’s riches will vastly increase with her owner’s death – though it’s thought Karl’s godson, Hudson Kroenig (11), will also benefit. The boy is the son of model and Lagerfeld muse Brad Kroenig.
Karl was adamant he didn’t want any kind of service or memorial to commemorate his life.
“There will be no funeral – I’d rather die!” he said. “I’ve asked to be cremated and want my ashes to be scattered along with my mother’s... and Choupette’s, if she dies before I do.”