The life and work of Karl Lagerfeld

The past october, Karl Lagerfeld took the Chanel show back to his childhood memory. He recreated The Grand Palais in Paris to an island he went to as an eight-year-old. The waves rolled up next to the front-row seats and the models walked barefoot. The show was a treat to anyone present or to those who watched it online. That is the magic that the legend created. Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of the American Vogue talked about how "to see women walk with freedom and with a smile on their faces at a moment when we needed it the most, I thought was exceptionally uplifting."

Kaia Gerber at the Chanel show at Grand Palais

One of the most acclaimed designer in the industry, Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg, Germany. Even though he never revealed his birthday, it has been reported that he was 85 years-old. He grew up in a wealthy home, but eventually moved to a rural area with the rise of the Nazi power. He expressed a deep interest in fashion from a very early age. With his return to Hamburg in his teen years he was immersed in the world of high-fashion. He took a call to move to Paris to pursue his interest, when he was as young as 14. Two years later, he submitted a series of sketches to a competition, where he secured the first position in coat-category.

He soon had a full-time position with Pierre Balmain as an apprentice. Three years down the line, he started freelancing as a designer for brands like Valentino and Chloe. He was hired by Fendi in 1967 to modernise their fur line, and he signed a lifetime contract with the brand. In the early 80's he was hired by Chanel and he gained a lifetime of fame as he revived the near-dead brand.

In 1984, he started his own namesake fashion house, 'Karl Lagerfeld', a brand that channeled 'intellectual sexiness'. The brand also offered an invitation to discover the world of Karl: his enigmatic persona, sharp wit, cultured vision and cutting-edge perspectives. In 2015 he opened his first store in Doha, Qatar.

Following health complications in January 2019, Lagerfeld was admitted to the American Hospital of Paris in Parisian suburb Neuilly-sur-Seine on 18 February. The next morning he died at that hospital, aged 85, after battling privately with pancreatic cancer.

Karl Lagerfeld at the Chanel show

Karl Lagerfeld with super-models Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne

Karl Lagerfeld at the Fendi show