Karl Lagerfeld’s Career Was Unlike Anyone Else's (2024)

On December 11, 1954, Lagerfeld won first prize in the coat category in a competition organized by the International Wool Association in Paris.

Per Yahoo!, Lagerfeld's success in the competition helped to establish him within the industry, and led to his job as Pierre Balmain's assistant in 1955.

Following his initial success in the fashion industry, Lagerfeld quickly secured a role as the art director of Jean Patou in Paris. According to the Business of Fashion, Lagerfeld was involved in designing "ten haute couture collections" for the brand during his time there.

While several sources cite 1958 as when Lagerfeld joined Jean Patou, the designer's official website lists 1957 as his start date.

According to Karl Lagerfeld's official website, the designer became one of the first freelancers in the fashion industry, and spent his time working between France, Italy, England, and Germany. He worked with brands including Charles Jourdan, Curiel, Krizia, and Valentino.

Lagerfeld also worked with Italian fashion house Tiziani for several years in the '60s. The label designed many of Elizabeth Taylor's movie costumes and red carpet looks.

Importantly, Lagerfeld began to freelance at French fashion house Chloé, before taking "sole creative control" in 1966, per WWD. Lagerfeld designed the fashion house's collections from 1964 to 1983, and again from 1992 to 1997.

Lagerfeld's collaboration with Fendi began in 1965, and continued until his death. According to WWD, the fashion icon became "head designer for its ready-to-wear and fur collections," completely revitalizing the brand.

The Guardian reports that Lagerfeld produced more than 100 collections for Fendi over a 54-year period. His impact upon the brand will not be forgotten.

Here he is photographed in 2004, taking the runway for Fendi during Milan Fashion Week.

Lagerfeld appeared in Andy Warhol's film L’Amour, some of which was filmed in the designer's Parisian apartment, per The Guardian.

Here, Lagerfeld (center) is photographed at Le Palace nightclub with a group including Andy Warhol and Paloma Picasso.

1983 was an important year for Lagerfeld as he became Chanel's chief artistic director. The designer would completely transform the brand, and create a lasting legacy at the French fashion house.

Lagerfeld has since been recognized for growing Chanel "into a $10 billion global fashion machine," per Bloomberg. He is also responsible for interlocking Chanel's "CC" logo, according to GQ, an emblem which is now synonymous with the brand.

The designer told The New Yorker in 2007 that he took the role at Chanel precisely because so many people warned him not to. Lagerfeld explained, "Everybody said, ‘Don’t touch it, it’s dead, it will never come back.’ But by then I thought it was a challenge."

Alongside his ongoing responsibilities at Fendi and Chanel, Lagerfeld launches his own line.

The designer revealed his eponymous label was created to channel "intellectual sexiness," GQ writes. Lagerfeld sold the label to the Tommy Hilfiger group in 2005, per Business of Fashion, but retained his role as its chief creative.

Lagerfeld's photography became just as renowned as his design work, with the artist regularly creating photo shoots for Harper's BAZAAR.

Of Lagerfeld's impeccable work creating campaigns, editorials, and imagery for Chanel, the image director of the fashion house, Eric Pfrunder, told WWD in October 2015, "Karl has an eye. He’s not taking 300 shots. He’s doing five, maybe six. Generally, it’s the first frame that is the best. He’s very fast because he has one vision, and that’s it."

A retrospective of Lagerfeld's photography ran in Paris in 2015.

According to his official website, Lagerfeld lost 93 lbs following a strict diet. He released a book in 2004 detailing his weight-loss method, written with his physician, Jean-Claude Houdret.

Introducing The Karl Lagerfeld Diet, the legendary designer revealed the reason for his lifestyle changes: "I suddenly wanted to dress differently, to wear clothes designed by Hedi Slimane… But these fashions... required me to lose at least eighty pounds... I did not think that it was possible to lose so much weight in one year... In fact, it took me exactly thirteen months."

In 2010, Lagerfeld was honored with The Fashion Visionary award from the Couture Council of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology.

He was also bestowed with the Commander's Cross of the Legion of Honor (Croix de Commandeur de la Legion d'Honneur) by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy in June 2010 (pictured).

Lagerfeld is awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award at the British Fashion Awards. Announcing the award, Natalie Massenet MBE said, “Karl Lagerfeld defines outstanding. He is the champion of excellence, the master of the exceptional and one of the most iconic figures globally from our industry."

Here, the designer is photographed with the creative director of Balmain, Olivier Rousteing, at the London Coliseum for the British Fashion Awards.

Lagerfeld took home an incredible accolade in 2017. He was awarded the Grand Vermeil medal, which is the highest honor in Paris, at Chanel's Fall 2017 couture show.

Here, the designer is photographed receiving the medal from the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo.

In December 2018, Lagerfeld walked the runway at Chanel's Métiers d’Art 2018/19 show at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Lagerfeld walked with godson Hudson Kroenig, and Virginie Viard, who is taking over the designer's role at Chanel. It would be his final appearance on the Chanel runway.

Lagerfeld's contributions to the fashion world will never be forgotten.