The Death of Karl Lagerfield

One of the most celebrated and prolific fashion designers in the world, Karl Lagerfeld, has passed away in Paris at the age of 85. Karl Otto Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1933. When he was little, he loved drawing while other children his age were busy play-fighting, and knew he wanted to live in Paris one day. He did not have a bachelor's degree, never went to fashion school, and yet he found himself at the helm of one of the greatest fashion empires in the world, Chanel. He started as a young designer in Paris at Pierre Balmain and worked his way up to become head designer at Jean Patou and then later at Chloé where he stayed for 20 years. He then went on to head the creative direction of struggling fur house Fendi, where he remained until his death for 45 years, transforming the company into the iconic Italian brand that it is today. In 1983 he was called upon to revive the house of Chanel, which was struggling after the death of its namesake founder. Chanel is indeed his finest achievement - he swiftly revived the brand, creating iconic classics like the tweed jacket, the quilted purse, and the little black dress. He was known for mixing his knowledge of pop culture with the house's conservative classics to create a unique, covetable collection every time. He has also preserved the fine craftsmanship of Paris' craft fashion workshops by launching the Metiers d'Art concept for Chanel in 2002 - whose 26 Maisons include Lesage (embroidery), Lemarié (feathers) and Maison Michel (millinery). Over the years his shows for Chanel become more and more ostentatious, with over-the-top sets and grand spectacles that were not-to-be-missed by any Paris fashion week groupie.