Arguably one of the most influential designers of our time, Karl Lagerfeld’s iconic designs have shaped a generation of fashion faces. From Stella McCartney at Chloe, to Cara Delevigne’s worldwide fame, Karl’s influence has propelled virtually unrecognisable names into the fashion sphere through his careful mentoring.
Hired as Pierre Balmain’s assistant in 1955, Lagerfeld grew under the influence of the famed couturier and then, from stints at Jean Patou and Tiziano, perfected his signature aesthetic before taking the helm at Chloe in 1964. A true renaissance man, in the literal sense of the word, Lagerfeld’s forward thinking designs have revived many a dying fashion house; first at Fendi in 1970, a predominantly fur fashion house. After developing both the womenswear and accessories line, he set his sights on a bigger project. “Everybody said, ‘Don’t touch it, it’s dead, it will never come back.’ But by then I thought it was a challenge.” Yet Lagerfeld redefined Chanel’s traditional tailoring into something groundbreaking.