Who is Karl Lagerfeld & why do we love him SO MUCH?
(if you don't already know)... Karl Lagerfeld, or as I refer to him as the "FASHION GOD," is by far the most famous fashion icon in the world. As a designer, photographer and artist, he is known for his bold designs and constant reinvention. By no doubt, Karl remains to be the most influential man in fashion today. Born in Hamburg, Germany, Karl Lagerfeld was actually named Karl Otto Lagerfeldt. However, early on in his fashion career he decided to take the "t" out of his name "Lagerfeldt" in order to appear more commercial, becoming the infamous Karl Lagerfeld. The funny thing is, is no one actually knows his true age, but its believed that he was born on September 10, 1933, making him 83 years old to date. However, Karl Lagerfeld claims to be younger and will not reveal his true age. At the humble age of 83 (or so we think) Lagerfeld is still running the world of fashion today with his influence in Chanel and Fendi and collaborations with H&M, Chloe and his own brand KARL and Karlito collection by Fendi.
At a young age, Karl Lagerfeld expressed a true passion for fashion. He would spend his free time cutting out pictures in magazines and was very critical of what others wore (as he still is). At 14 years old, Lagerfeld left home and moved to Paris to pursue his career in high fashion/couture. At his young teen age, he began working full time for Pierre Balmain, another huge name in fashion and befriended icons such as Yves Saint Laurent. As a true fashion enthusiast, he would spend his free time shopping in Flea Markets and reconstructing wedding gowns. He took over Fendi's fur line and became known for his creativity of mixing high and low pieces, possibly a future inspiration for Fendi Karlito? By the 1980's Karl Lagerfeld was extremely famous in the high end world of fashion. With friends such as Andy Warhol, Naomi Campbell and other stars alike, he became a favorite amongst the press and people loved to keep up with his ever changing style. Reporters began calling him Karl Logerfeld or Karl Lagerfelt, rather than Karl Lagerfel d. Confusing right? Doing what no one thought could be done, he took Chanel, a brand about to be considered "dead" and brought it back to life with a ready to wear line. When people think of Karl Lagerfeld, they instantly associate him with his influence in Chanel. He is Chanel. Karl Lagerfeld got the reputation from jumping from label to label, however he did what others could not do. He partnered and collaborated with other designers such as Chanel and Fendi, and even did a collection for H&M in 2004. This collection was a range of Lagerfeld clothes for men and women, although initially fearing working with a low end fashion house. However, Karl is known to love challenge and after everyone told him it would not work, he sold out instantly.
Lagerfeld has been a subject of much controversy, causing another famous icon, Anna Wintour to walk out of Milan Fashion Week show after employing a stripper and adult star, Moanna Pazzi to model his black and white collection for Fendi. However, now they are very close friends and often seen side by side at Fashion Week in Paris, Milan and New York. Another controversy he had was with PETA. Karl Lagerfeld loves using fur in fashion, however he claims to not personally wear fur or eat meat. He says people should only use fur if they can afford it and not to "appear rich." Only flying in private jets and mostly wearing black, he is often accompanied by his cat, Choupette who he claimed he would marry if it was legal. Choupette has made its own name in fashion, modeling in campaigns for Shu Uemura and supposedly raking in 4 million dollars last year. Karl Lagerfeld is never seen without hiding behind his signature black sunglasses that he refers to as a "burka for a man." There is no one like Karl Lagerfeld. As a fashion enthusiast myself, Karl Lagerfeld has been an idol of mine and many others since a young girl. The KARL WHO Collection by Socialitte, that emerged in 2015 out of San Diego, CA is a fun, satirical collection of characters that pay homage to Karl and what he has done for the world of fashion. Source: https://www.shopsocialitte.com/blogs/news/karl-who-who-is-karl-lagerfeld