Karl Otto Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg, Germany, on 10 September 1935, to a Swedish father, Otto, and German mother, Elisabeth. His mother used to be a lingerie saleswoman before she got married to his father in 1930, who was a wealthy business involved in introducing condensed milk in Europe, which helped the family by shielding them from the deprivations of World War I. Lagerfeld had two siblings, an older sister, Martha Christiane, born in 1931, and an older half sister, Thea, from his father’s first marriage.
Karl’s original name was ‘Lagerfeldt’, but later changed his name to ‘Lagerfeld’ as “it sounds more commercial”.
Lagerfeld attended a private school, and finished his secondary school at the Lycée Montaigne in Paris, where he majored in drawing and history.
In 1955 Karl Lagerfeld won the coats category in a design competition sponsored by the International Wool Secretariat, and he soon became the assistant to Pierre Balmain.
In 1958 Lagerfeld left Balmain, stating, “I was not born to be an assistant”, and moved to Jean Patou, where he designed under the name of ‘Roland Karl’. He eventually left and became a freelancer.
In 1965 he became the head designer for Chloé where he remained until 1983, to then returned in 1992 and leave again 5 years later. He also started collaboration with Fendi, an alliance that has lasted for decades and still continues to this day.
In 1882 he was asked by Alain Wertheimer, the chairman of Chanel, to design for the label. Lagerfeld recalls his friends’ advice to decline the offer as they said the brand was ‘dead’, but Lagerfeld took it as a challenge. A year later Karl Lagerfeld debuted his first couture collection for Chanel, which responded well, and inspired Lagerfeld to launch a label under his own name in 1984, but to then sell the brands ‘Lagerfeld Gallery’, and ‘Lagerfeld’ to Tommy Hilfiger in 2005.
In 1989 Karl Lagerfeld was heavily criticized by Holly Brubach in the ‘New York Times’ for “desecrating the Chanel style with sight gags and overkill, with a tarty sex appeal and crass sensationalism.” Despite the criticism, Lagerfeld shrugged off the comments and still continues to this day to design for Chanel.
Karl Lagerfeld is known to have made some politically incorrect and abusive statements, but in 1994 Lagerfeld caused uproar after embroidering phrases from the Koran onto dresses from his spring collection. The global Islamic community was infuriated, and Lagerfeld and supermodel, Claudia Schiffer, who modeled the dresses, were receiving death threats, so they hired a bodyguard for Lagerfeld and Schiffer.
Not only does Karl Lagerfeld design for high-end brands but also he has made collections for H&M in 2004, and Macy’s in 2011. When asked why he designs for brands with such a difference in price range, he said he “finds it amusing”.
One of Lagerfeld’s many passions is directing and making movies, and he started to focus on this passion in 2005. Lagerfeld’s 2004 Channel collection was documented in a movie, ‘Signe Chanel’, and after loosing close to 50kg in 13 months, so he could fit into clothes designed by Hedi Slimane, he published a book, ‘The Karl Lagerfeld Diet’, which was a huge hit.
In 2007 another documentary of Lagerfeld called, ‘Lagerfeld Confidential’, premiered, and in 2009 he was celebrated as one of ‘Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World’.
In 2011, he continued to make films and directed actress Rachel Bilson in three commercials for Magnum ice cream bars, and a year later released a documentary, ‘Karl Lagerfeld Draws Himself’. In May 2012, to mark the 100th anniversary of Chanel’s first boutique, Lagerfeld directed the short film ‘Once Upon A Time’, which featured Keira Knightley as a young, Coco Chanel.
In 2012, ‘Karl.com’ was finally up on the Internet, with a gallery of inspirations and look books and shopping destinations, as well as a library of his usually somewhat less offensive quotes.
Karl’s original name was ‘Lagerfeldt’, but later changed his name to ‘Lagerfeld’ as “it sounds more commercial”.
Lagerfeld attended a private school, and finished his secondary school at the Lycée Montaigne in Paris, where he majored in drawing and history.
In 1955 Karl Lagerfeld won the coats category in a design competition sponsored by the International Wool Secretariat, and he soon became the assistant to Pierre Balmain.
In 1958 Lagerfeld left Balmain, stating, “I was not born to be an assistant”, and moved to Jean Patou, where he designed under the name of ‘Roland Karl’. He eventually left and became a freelancer.
In 1965 he became the head designer for Chloé where he remained until 1983, to then returned in 1992 and leave again 5 years later. He also started collaboration with Fendi, an alliance that has lasted for decades and still continues to this day.
In 1882 he was asked by Alain Wertheimer, the chairman of Chanel, to design for the label. Lagerfeld recalls his friends’ advice to decline the offer as they said the brand was ‘dead’, but Lagerfeld took it as a challenge. A year later Karl Lagerfeld debuted his first couture collection for Chanel, which responded well, and inspired Lagerfeld to launch a label under his own name in 1984, but to then sell the brands ‘Lagerfeld Gallery’, and ‘Lagerfeld’ to Tommy Hilfiger in 2005.
In 1989 Karl Lagerfeld was heavily criticized by Holly Brubach in the ‘New York Times’ for “desecrating the Chanel style with sight gags and overkill, with a tarty sex appeal and crass sensationalism.” Despite the criticism, Lagerfeld shrugged off the comments and still continues to this day to design for Chanel.
Karl Lagerfeld is known to have made some politically incorrect and abusive statements, but in 1994 Lagerfeld caused uproar after embroidering phrases from the Koran onto dresses from his spring collection. The global Islamic community was infuriated, and Lagerfeld and supermodel, Claudia Schiffer, who modeled the dresses, were receiving death threats, so they hired a bodyguard for Lagerfeld and Schiffer.
Not only does Karl Lagerfeld design for high-end brands but also he has made collections for H&M in 2004, and Macy’s in 2011. When asked why he designs for brands with such a difference in price range, he said he “finds it amusing”.
One of Lagerfeld’s many passions is directing and making movies, and he started to focus on this passion in 2005. Lagerfeld’s 2004 Channel collection was documented in a movie, ‘Signe Chanel’, and after loosing close to 50kg in 13 months, so he could fit into clothes designed by Hedi Slimane, he published a book, ‘The Karl Lagerfeld Diet’, which was a huge hit.
In 2007 another documentary of Lagerfeld called, ‘Lagerfeld Confidential’, premiered, and in 2009 he was celebrated as one of ‘Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World’.
In 2011, he continued to make films and directed actress Rachel Bilson in three commercials for Magnum ice cream bars, and a year later released a documentary, ‘Karl Lagerfeld Draws Himself’. In May 2012, to mark the 100th anniversary of Chanel’s first boutique, Lagerfeld directed the short film ‘Once Upon A Time’, which featured Keira Knightley as a young, Coco Chanel.
In 2012, ‘Karl.com’ was finally up on the Internet, with a gallery of inspirations and look books and shopping destinations, as well as a library of his usually somewhat less offensive quotes.