Obituary: Karl Lagerfeld
Date Posted: Tuesday 19th February 2019
Fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld has passed away at the age of 85. Creative Director of luxury fashion houses, CHANEL, Fendi and his eponymous label, Karl's influence helped launch numerous supermodel careers, redefined fashion advertising and laid down the blueprint of how to revive a fashion brand.
The House of Karl Lagerfeld commented: "Driven by a phenomenal sense of creativity, Karl was passionate, powerful and intensely curious. In addition to being the creative director of his namesake brand, Karl Lagerfeld was the creative director of both the Chanel and Fendi houses. He further expressed his exceptional talent and artistry through a lifelong passion for photography, publishing, illustration, architecture and interior design.
Since its inception, the Karl Lagerfeld brand has strived to convey Karl Lagerfeld’s vision and share his design aesthetic through aspirational, accessible collections. This ethos will continue to remain at the core of the brand."
Pier Paolo Righi, CEO of Karl Lagerfeld, commented: “The world has lost an icon. Karl Lagerfeld was a creative genius; he was influential, curious, powerful and passionate. He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy as one of the greatest designers of our time. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to have known and worked with him, and there are no words to express how much he will be missed.”
Serge Brunschwig, Chairman & CEO of Fendi, commented: “Working with Karl Lagerfeld at Fendi allowed me to catch a glimpse of the secret of the continuous renewal of the House. I profoundly admire Karl’s immense culture, his ability to rejuvenate at all times, to taste all the arts, to not overlook any style, along with a persistent refusal to turn to his past, to look at his work in a mirror. He was restless and his exigent nature would never leave him. The show was just ending that Karl would always say, "And now number next!" He leaves us an enormous heritage, an inexhaustible source of inspiration to continue. Karl will be immensely missed by myself and all the Fendi people,”
