• Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life
  • Women
  • Spa Awards
  • Weddings
  • Beauty
    • Beauty
    • Makeup
    • Skin
    • Hair
    • Body & Fragrances
    • Aesthetics & Services
    • Best Of Beauty
    • Reviews
  • Fashion
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
    • Trends & Tips
    • Style Files
    • Watches & Jewellery
  • Life
    • Life
    • Food
    • Entertainment
    • Wellness
    • Travel
    • Tech
    • Sex & Love
    • Stuff to do
  • Women
    • Women
    • Women Now
    • Career
    • Money
  • #HERWORLDHERSTORY
  • Weddings
    • Weddings
    • Gowns & Suits
    • Ideas & Advice
    • Real Weddings
    • Love Nest
    • Luxe
    • Home
  • Beauty Awards
  • SPA AWARDS
  • HAIR AWARDS
  • Woman of the year
  • Age Is Just A Number
  • Video
Subscribe!
  • Also available at:
Privacy Menu
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising with Us
  • Conditions of Access
  • PDPA
  • Privacy Statement
SPH Media

MCI (P) 039/12/2022. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2023 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.

  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life
  • Women
  • Spa Awards
  • Weddings

Fashion

9 things you probably didn’t know about the late Karl Lagerfeld

F / Fashion

9 things you probably didn’t know about the late Karl Lagerfeld

As one of the most influential and memorable designers in the fashion world, we commemorate the passing of Chanel’s iconic creative director by showing you the impact that he had made throughout his journey in the fashion industry

by Joy Fang  /   February 20, 2019
https://www.herworld.com/gallery/fashion/things-about-karl-lagerfeld-chanel-singapore/
9 things you probably didn't know about the late Karl Lagerfeld
The creative mind behind 20th century Chanel
image

Fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld has died at age 85. We take a quick look at the life of the creative genius, who’s admired for his passion, strong work ethic, quirky persona and immense talent, seen in the reinvention of French luxury fashion house Chanel.

 

Photo: Instagram/nytimesfashion

 

ALSO READ: CHANEL IS PAINTING THE TOWN RED WITH ITS NEW LE ROUGE BEAUTY POP-UP, AND YOU CAN PRE-REGISTER FOR IT HERE

1. He was known for his one-of-a-kind image
image

Who can forget Karl’s signature pony-tailed white hair? The designer is also often seen donning black sunglasses, dark suits, fingerless gloves and high starched collars, but he’s most recognised for his iconic ‘do.

Apparently he’s had the ponytail since 1976, and the snowy white colour is derived not from dye, but from a “white powder” that’s actually Klorane dry shampoo. 

“I am like a caricature of myself, and I like that. It is like a mask. And for me the Carnival of Venice lasts all year long,” he had said.

 

Photo: Instagram/karllagerfeld

 

ALSO READ: VIDEO: HER WORLD CHECKS OUT CHANEL COCO GAME CENTER, THE SUPER FUN BEAUTY POP-UP

2. He was fondly referred to as “The Kaiser”
image

Due to his German heritage (he was born in Hamburg and was the son of businessman Otto Lagerfeld, who owned a company that produced and imported evaporated milk), he was often referred to as The Kaiser (the German word for Emperor) by fashion insiders.

After all, he was at the heart of not one but three major fashion houses — Chloé, Fendi and finally, Chanel, not to mention his own namesake brand, Karl Lagerfeld.

 

Photo: Instagram/eclecktica_by_roberta_redaelli

 

ALSO READ: CHANEL IS PAINTING THE TOWN RED WITH ITS NEW LE ROUGE BEAUTY POP-UP, AND YOU CAN PRE-REGISTER FOR IT HERE

3. He got his start rather humbly
image

Karl’s big break came when he won first prize for a sketch of a coat in a design competition in 1955. The famed Pierre Balmain, who wound up making the coat, was so impressed that he offered him a job as his assistant.

That kickstarted his six decade career in the industry: He went on to become Jean Patou’s art director three years later, but his first collection, which he debuted under the pseudonym Roland Karl, was booed at.

He quickly rebounded, increasingly garnering acclaim in his five years there. He joined Chanel in 1983, spending 36 years at the house.

 

Photo: Instagram/mtnolea

 

ALSO READ: VIDEO: HER WORLD CHECKS OUT CHANEL COCO GAME CENTER, THE SUPER FUN BEAUTY POP-UP

4. He breathed new life into Chanel
image

When Karl took over Chanel as chief designer, with an aim to modernise the fashion house, the brand was floundering and barely surviving off its perfume sales.

“Everybody said, ‘Don’t touch it. It’s dead,’ ” he once told New York magazine. “But when people said it was dead and hopeless, I said it was interesting.”

He went on to revolutionise it, injecting youthfulness into the brand and making it more accessible, taking it from a small house to an industry leader.

He was also the one to introduce the interlocked “CC” monograph. Chanel released financial figures for the first time in 2018, revealing that it had made a cool $9.62 billion in sales last year.

 

Photo: Instagram/chanelofficial

 

ALSO READ: CHANEL IS PAINTING THE TOWN RED WITH ITS NEW LE ROUGE BEAUTY POP-UP, AND YOU CAN PRE-REGISTER FOR IT HERE

5. He was known for his irreverent wit
image

Although he was fiercely-private, Karl had a larger than life personality and was no stranger to controversy. He took jabs at celebrities (once calling Adele “a little too fat”), declared an allergy on flip-flops, and dissed sweatpants.

“Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants,” he once said. He also had a very high opinion of himself. “I’m very much down to earth, just not this earth.”

 

Photo: Instagram/styletoday_nl

 

ALSO READ: VIDEO: HER WORLD CHECKS OUT CHANEL COCO GAME CENTER, THE SUPER FUN BEAUTY POP-UP

6. He lost a lot of weight
image

In 2001, Karl looked at himself and did not like what he saw. He proceeded to go on a strict diet, created specially for him by a Dr Jean-Claude Houdret, which led him to lose a whopping 42kg in just one year.

“I suddenly wanted to dress differently, to wear clothes designed by Hedi Slimane,” he explained, adding that fashion was for younger and slimmer men. He went on to pen a book called The Karl Lagerfeld Diet.

 

Photo: Instagram/co_topia

 

ALSO READ: CHANEL IS PAINTING THE TOWN RED WITH ITS NEW LE ROUGE BEAUTY POP-UP, AND YOU CAN PRE-REGISTER FOR IT HERE

7. He loved his cat
image

Often seen with the designer is his white haired Birman, Choupette, who has appeared with him in photo shoots and other appearances. The famous feline was gifted to him by French model Baptiste Giabiconi after he babysat the cat while Baptiste was away.

The eight-year-old has her own social media accounts and has inspired many of Karl’s designs. Apparently, the pampered puss has two private maids to tend to her every need, and she even owns an iPad.

 

Photo: Instagram/choupettesdiary

 

ALSO READ: VIDEO: HER WORLD CHECKS OUT CHANEL COCO GAME CENTER, THE SUPER FUN BEAUTY POP-UP

8. He worked really hard
image

Despite his age and declining health, Karl never rested on his laurels, working tirelessly to churn out collection after collection for Chanel. Besides his work for the French brand, he was busy with his own label, designed costumes for theatre and musical performances, took on partnerships with other well-known figures as well as high-street brands (such as H&M and Macy’s), and even photographed his own campaigns.

In fact, he was slated to be present for fittings this week for the forthcoming Chanel womenswear show on March 5. “Why should I stop working? If I do, I’ll die and it’ll be all finished,” he once said.

 

Photo: Instagram/glitch7fashionhouse

 

ALSO READ: CHANEL IS PAINTING THE TOWN RED WITH ITS NEW LE ROUGE BEAUTY POP-UP, AND YOU CAN PRE-REGISTER FOR IT HERE

9. He had been ill for weeks
image

Karl missed the Chanel haute couture show in Paris in January, which sparked speculation about his health.

Known for his customary walk down the runway to close the show, the brand had said at the time that he was “feeling tired”, and it was his request that his righthand woman, Virginie Viard “represent him and greet the guests”.

Reports say he was admitted to a hospital in Paris on Monday night and died on Tuesday morning.

 

Photo: Instagram/nytimesfashion

 

ALSO READ: VIDEO: HER WORLD CHECKS OUT CHANEL COCO GAME CENTER, THE SUPER FUN BEAUTY POP-UP

  • TAGS:
  • Chanel
  • Chanel Singapore
  • chloe
  • choupette
  • designers
  • fashion designer
  • fashion designers
  • fashion icon
  • fendi
  • iconic designer
  • karl lagerfeld
  • most memorable Karl Lagerfeld quotes
SHARE THIS ON

T / Trending

Fashion

17 designer bags carried by Kim Lim on our must-have list

Fashion

8 Taobao stores we're shopping at for the coolest clothes for wor...

Fashion

The jelly shoes trend returns and here are some of our fave desig...

Fashion

Your guide to choosing the right lingerie under your clothes

Fashion

12 contemporary jewellery brands offering non-traditional engagem...

Fashion

Unpacking the effortless cool of “French Girl Style”

Fashion

Casual? We don't know her. Why you should never apologise for bei...

Fashion

I Want Her Style: Amanda Leong is our eternal glam queen

Fashion

9 luxury bags that are worth the investment

Fashion

Would you carry a croissant bag?

Fashion

Star Awards 2023: What the stars wore to TV's biggest night

Fashion

The 20 best-dressed ladies of the ICON Ball 2023

Highlights
  • Fashion This is fashion recycling on another level
  • Lazada 6.6. Super Wow sale discounts
    Promotions Payday alert: 6 not-to-be-missed deals from Lazada’s 6.6 ...
  • Awards This salon promises to bleach your hair...without damagin...
Editor’s Picks
  • Weddings 7 wedding dress styles we love for brides with small boobs
  • Shopping Shop these sunglasses worn by your favourite Korean celebs
  • Style Files Korean celebs who are ambassadors of designer brands
  • Shopping Where to get beautiful blooms and dessert gift bundles fo...
  • Shopping The online shopping sites to check out when you're too la...
  • Style Files 23 outfit ideas to steal from Blackpink’s Lisa
Newsletter Subscribe
Sign up for one of our free newsletters to receive the latest news, commentary and fashion features straight from Her World.

By signing up, you indicate that you have read and agreed with our Privacy Statement
Footer Menu
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • PDPA
  • Conditions of Access
  • Privacy Statement
SPH Media

MCI (P) 039/12/2022. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2023 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.