German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld dies age 85

Karl Lagerfeld, a brand

Metamorphosis

"Everything I've worn since 2002 is by Dior and Hedi Slimane," Lagerfeld said. That's when he lost 40 kilograms (88 pounds) so he could fit into the slim-cut Slimane suits — and wrote a book entitled The Karl Lagerfeld Diet, which is based on eating mainly protein foods. The fashion czar swore by Coca-Cola Light and had even designed a bottle for the product.

Karl Lagerfeld, a brand

Karl and his books

"I just can't stop buying books," Lagerfeld once said. They were all over his home. His bed was surrounded by towers of book and shelves line the walls, leaving little room for pictures. Lagerfeld's collection included about 300,000 books, mainly illustrated books on fashion and art, history and philosophy as well as essays and poems. The latter were his favorite.

Karl Lagerfeld, a brand

Choupette

Fashion, books — and then there was his third great passion: his cat, Choupette. The famous "cat who refuses to eat from the floor" has her own staff, Facebook and Twitter accounts and inspired two Chanel collections. "There is something unforgettable about her," Lagerfeld said. "She is an inspiration for elegance, for posture."

Karl Lagerfeld, a brand

Karl and his muses

Choupette was by no means Lagerfeld's only muse. Beginning in 1990, he boosted the international top model career of Claudia Schiffer (photo). Baptiste Giabiconi was another source of inspiration. Lagerfeld photographed the young French model himself, and presented the results in illustrated books and exhibitions.

Karl Lagerfeld, a brand

The photographer

In 1987, Lagerfeld took over some of the camerawork for his agency because the advertising campaigns for Chanel didn't always meet his high aesthetic standards. He shot numerous Chanel campaigns, photographed stars including Nicole Kidman, did fashion portraits for Vogue and made short films for Fendi and other fashion houses. In the above photo, Choupette stars in a campaign for Opel.

Karl Lagerfeld, a brand

Legendary remarks

Sweatpants are a sign of defeat, Lagerfeld famously claimed. People lose control of their lives and "go out on the street in sweatpants," he added. That was probably not true for the Chanel variety he designed in 2014 as part of a campaign targeting "leisure activities with a professional background," which was, in fact, how Lagerfeld described his job. "Standing on an assembly line, that's work."

Karl Lagerfeld, a brand

Soul of Chanel

Lagerfeld's looks, his quick tongue, his muses and the cult surrounding his Burmese cat were enough to make him a brand in his own right. But first and foremost, he was the soul of the house of Chanel. He had been creating haute couture and pret-a-porter collections up throughout his life. He died on February 19, at the age of 85.

Author: Bettina Baumann

High Five: 5 of Karl Lagerfeld's most outrageous comments

Lagerfeld on beauty

The fickleness of the fashion world perfectly embodies Karl Lagerfeld. Trends come and go, and there's certainly plenty of fluctuation when it comes to models on the catwalk. In Lagerfeld's words: "Anyone considered beautiful today will find it hard to even land a cleaning job tomorrow." The couturier stayed true to his words, and changed his muses regularly.

High Five: 5 of Karl Lagerfeld's most outrageous comments

Lagerfeld on cats

Lagerfeld would never say a bad word about his cat. Choupette was his one-and-only, and she traveled in his private jet around the world eating gourmet food. In 2013, he shocked with this declaration of love: "I never thought that I would fall in love like this with a cat," he said. "If I could, I would marry Choupette." Real emotions or a marketing ploy? Regardless, it definitely drew attention.

High Five: 5 of Karl Lagerfeld's most outrageous comments

Lagerfeld on eccentricity

He powdered his hair white, drove a Rolls-Royce and always wore sunglasses and black gloves. At night, the designer supposedly slept in a long, white nightshirt, in which he also liked to draw. But Lagerfeld didn't find it funny. "I am very grounded, just not on this Earth," he said of his lifestyle. Not hard to believe.

High Five: 5 of Karl Lagerfeld's most outrageous comments

Lagerfeld on stress

He once called for a 48-hour day, because 24 hours simply weren't enough. Lagerfeld was a workaholic that remained bustling in his 80s. Every year, Chanel's eight collections featured his works, as did numerous collaborations. His motto was: "I don't know stress, I know only rhinestones!" A quote that definitely works better in German, where rhinestone is "strass."

Author: Antje Binder (sh)