Feature Image by @chanelofficial

Karl Lagerfeld, the creative director of Chanel and one of the most influential fashion designers of our time, died Tuesday morning at the age of 85 in Paris, France. The cause of his death is still unknown, but concerns for his health arose last month when he missed Chanel’s spring/summer show.

“Today, the world lost a giant among men,” expressed Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue. While the iconic Hamburg-born designer has moved on, his legacy is sure to remain lively for years to come. Below, we’re sharing just a few ways he changed the industry forever.

 

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It is with deep sadness that the House of CHANEL announces the passing of Karl Lagerfeld, the Creative Director for the CHANEL Fashion House since 1983. An extraordinary creative individual, Karl Lagerfeld reinvented the brand’s codes created by Gabrielle Chanel: the CHANEL jacket and suit, the little black dress, the precious tweeds, the two-tone shoes, the quilted handbags, the pearls and costume jewelry. Regarding Gabrielle Chanel, he said, “My job is not to do what she did, but what she would have done. The good thing about Chanel is it is an idea you can adapt to many things.” A prolific creative mind with endless imagination, Karl Lagerfeld explored many artistic horizons, including photography and short films. The House of CHANEL benefited from his talent for all the branding campaigns related to Fashion since 1987. Finally, one cannot refer to Karl Lagerfeld without mentioning his innate sense of repartee and self-mockery. Alain Wertheimer, CEO of CHANEL, said: “Thanks to his creative genius, generosity and exceptional intuition, Karl Lagerfeld was ahead of his time, which widely contributed to the House of CHANEL’s success throughout the world. Today, not only have I lost a friend, but we have all lost an extraordinary creative mind to whom I gave carte blanche in the early 1980s to reinvent the brand.” Bruno Pavlovsky, President of Fashion at CHANEL, said: “Fashion show after fashion show, collection after collection, Karl Lagerfeld left his mark on the legend of Gabrielle Chanel and the history of the House of CHANEL. He steadfastly promoted the talent and expertise of CHANEL’s ateliers and Métiers d’Art, allowing this exceptional know-how to shine throughout the world. The greatest tribute we can pay today is to continue to follow the path he traced by – to quote Karl – ‘continuing to embrace the present and invent the future’.” Virginie Viard, Director of CHANEL’s Fashion Creation Studio and Karl Lagerfeld’s closest collaborator for more than 30 years, has been entrusted by Alain Wertheimer with the creative work for the collections, so that the legacy of Gabrielle Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld can live on.

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Responsible for one of the biggest fashion brands ever
Lagerfeld completely transformed Chanel when he became the creative director back in 1983. Through his one-of-a-kind designs (tweed jackets, pearls, and quilted bags), Chanel quickly became one of the most iconic and biggest names in fashion. “Thanks to his creative genius, generosity, and exceptional intuition, Lagerfeld was ahead of his time, which widely contributed to the House of Chanel’s success throughout the world,” said Alain Wertheimer, the CEO of Chanel. “Today, not only have I lost a friend, but we have all lost an extraordinary, creative mind to whom I gave carte blanche in the early 1980s to reinvent the brand.”

Undeniable influence wherever he went
Not only did Lagerfeld completely revamp Chanel, but he’s also credited for basically redefining the fashion industry as he helped transform high fashion into a form of entertainment in popular culture. He got his start working under Pierre Balmain at just 21 years old, then eventually moved to Chloé in 1974, where he took a full-time position as the brand’s creative lead. Up until his passing, the fashion legend was the creative director of both Chanel and Fendi. “We owe him a great deal. His taste and talent were the most exceptional I have ever known,” said Bernard Arnault, the chairman and CEO of LVMH, which houses high-fashion brands including Fendi and Louis Vuitton.

Unapologetically unique
With his undeniably stunning designs, Lagerfeld became the most recognized man in the fashion world. From his white pompadour hairdo to his fingerless gloves and mysterious sunglasses, Lagerfeld created a character for himself that was complete with humor and an extravagant personality to match. This made him loved (and sometimes critiqued) by many.

xx, The FabFitFun Team