Feb 19th, 2019, 02:06 PM

Where Were You When Karl Lagerfeld Died?

By Katerina McGrath
Karl Lagerfeld dressing model Ines de la Fressange at Chloe's Paris studio. Image Credit: Getty Images/Pierre Vauthey
The fashion legend has passed after a battle with cancer.

Members of AUP's Fashion Journalism newsroom have varied experiences of hearing the shocking news of fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld's death. Sami Claire, age 22, received a phone call from her mother informing her of the news. “She used to work with him in the ‘80s when he took over Chanel,” she said, and “she shared some of her stories of him with me.” Another writer, Greta English, age 21, received a message from her boyfriend about Lagerfeld. “I texted him back saying ‘Shut up,’ because there was no reason he would know that before me. I Googled it, and saw the news was true,” she described.

Fashion legend and designer Karl Lagerfeld passed away at 85 years old on the morning of Tuesday, February 19th, 2019, after a previously undisclosed battle with pancreatic cancer.

Despite his age, Lagerfeld was always known as being dynamic, youthful, and energetic year after year. Writer Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni recounted her experience with Lagerfeld: “the truth is, Karl is ageless because he’s forever curious.”

Lagerfeld was born in Germany in 1933 and emigrated to France, attending Lycée Montaigne to study drawing and history.

Lagerfeld began his career in fashion as an assistant to Pierre Balmain after winning a design competition at the International Wool Secretariat in 1955. Lagerfeld worked with Balmain for three years before he was recruited by Jean Patou to design his Haute Couture collections, which formed the basis of knowledge that would serve him for his whole career.

After six years at Patou, Lagerfeld freelanced for fashion house Chloé and moved to Fendi in 1965, where he worked for a total of 65 years.

Lagerfeld was the creative director of Chanel for an era-defining 36 years. Taking the reins of the French fashion house in 1983, Lagerfeld’s legacy is best known by his rebranding of the fashion house for a more modern, younger woman. The interlocking C’s, skirt suits, tweed and pearls were major characteristics of Chanel that emerged under his creative direction.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Karl Lagerfeld Fall 1990 💔

A post shared by Nineties Anxiety (@90sanxiety) on

Lagerfeld was known for his sharp, decisive eye and tongue, and exacting standards. He was once quoted as saying, “sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life, so you bought some sweatpants.”

Fashion journalist Madeleine Czigler fondly recalls Lagerfeld's energy, saying, "what worked with him was humor. If you started to ask him instantaneous, humorous questions, he would immediately go on it — he loved cultural references — he talked like a magpie, and what really struck me was his generosity. He talked to everybody. He never left anyone out of the loop, no matter how humble a publication. He really understood the importance of communication."

Lagerfeld also had his own line, which started in 1984. His line was described as having an “intellectual sexiness,” said Helen Wigham for Vogue in 2011.

The legacy left by Karl Lagerfeld is a vast one. More than a designer, Lagerfeld opened his famous bookstore 7L at 7, rue de Lille. He was also one of the first designers to launch a successful high fashion collaboration with a department store, the American chain Macy's. He wrote his own monthly political cartoon “Karlikatur” in the German Magazine Frankfurter Allgemeine, shot his own ad campaigns and magazines editorials and exhibited his photography at Colette before it closed. Lagerfeld also leaves behind the famous Choupette, his eight year old cat.

The possible successors for Chanel have already been discussed. Alber Elbaz, former Creative Director of Lanvin, Guy Laroche, Saint Laurent, and Krizia, has been discussed, as well as Virginie Viard, director of Creative House and studio director of Chanel for the past two decades. Some have spoken of wanting Phoebe Philo to take the place as creative director. Law Roch, stylist for Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Zendaya among others, said “I know she’s doing her own thing, but I think it would be cool to see Phoebe [Philo at Chanel]. I think that would be interesting. I definitely feel like it should be a woman. It started with a woman.”

Iconic street photographer The Sartorialist remembers him as "a design genius and a constant inspiration. Fashion is built on larger than life characters like Karl Lagerfeld who will obviously be missed." Despite his absence, however, his spirit will live on in the minds of fashion enthusiasts forever.

Written on behalf of the entire Fashion Journalism Practicum.