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The Kaiser of fashion was a pioneer who helped shaped the industry into what we know it as today. See all of the highlights from his illustrious career.
It goes without saying that Karl Lagerfeld is one of the most influential designers of all time. From his early years making couture at Patou to reinventing the Chloé aesthetic and turning Chanel into a billion dollar empire, he was a pioneer who helped create the fashion industry as we know it today. And yet the German designer was never one to rest on his laurels, wholly devoted to newness in his work; in 2017, he famously told the New Yorker, “I throw everything away! The most important piece of furniture in a house is the garbage can! I keep no archives of my own, no sketches, no photos, no clothes—nothing!” Ahead of this year’s Met Gala, revisit his illustrious career in pictures, below.
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Keystone/Getty Images1/91954 – Lagerfeld embarked on a career in fashion
At an International Wool Association competition in Paris (known as the International Woolmark Prize today), Lagerfeld won first place in the coat category, which led to his first job as assistant to Pierre Balmain the following year, as well as notoriety in the industry.
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Keystone-France/Getty Images2/91957 – The Patou years
When Jean Patou hired Lagerfeld as its art director in 1957, it was his first major fashion role. During his five years there, he produced 10 couture collections for the prestigious Parisian maison.
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Pierre VAUTHEY/Getty Images3/91964 – Lagerfeld begins collaborating with Chloé
After a stint freelancing for brands such as Valentino, the designer began to work with Chloé in 1964, before officially taking its creative lead role in 1966. It was there that Lagerfeld launched his first perfume.
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Vittoriano Rastelli/Getty Images4/91965 – Fendi comes into the picture
In 1965, Lagerfeld began his long-standing relationship with Fendi as its head ready-to-wear designer, where he produced more than 100 collections in the span of 54 years. Here, he is pictured with the five Fendi sisters—Carla, Alda, Franca, Anna and Paola.
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John van Hasselt – Corbis/Getty Images5/91983 – When Karl met Chanel
A pivotal moment in fashion history, Lagerfeld became chief artistic director of Chanel in 1983. In the role, the designer shifted the aesthetics of the opulent ’80s towards the more carefree ’90s. Plus, he was one of the first to turn the fashion show into an awe-inducing spectacle with larger-than-life sets.
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Wojtek Laski/Getty Images6/91984 – Karl launched his namesake label
In addition to his responsibilities at Chanel and Fendi, Lagerfeld established his eponymous brand in 1984.
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Sean Gallup/Getty Images7/92004 – Lagerfeld joins forces with H&M
Lagerfeld became the first luxury fashion designer to collaborate with H&M, unveiling a capsule collection with the high street retailer in 2004. The move paved the way for brands like Lanvin, Simone Rocha and Viktor & Rolf, among many others, to do the same.
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Victor Boyko/Getty Images8/92012 – Net-a-Porter creates a new line with the designer
In 2012, Lagerfeld and Net-a-Porter launched a line, titled simply Karl, which focused on classic everyday separates with a dash of the designer’s signature rock and roll edge.
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FRANCOIS GUILLOT/Getty Images9/92019 – Karl’s Chanel swan song was very him
For his final collection for Chanel (autumn/winter 2019), the designer delivered an array of his classic silhouettes with tongue-in-cheek references to luxury alpine dressing, as well as an unforgettable set.
This article was originally published on British Vogue.
