WORDS BY PATRICIA RODRDÍGUEZ
“No memoirs. I have nothing to say, and what I could say, I cannot say.”- said Karl Lagerfeld at the suggestion of writing about, what had to be, an intense and fascinating life. This week, the world bid goodbye to the icon who has sadly passed away at the age of 85 and so today we celebrate his life and his outstanding contribution to fashion.
Although Largerfeld’s career includes other major names in fashion, his legacy will always be linked to that of Chanel ― the Maison that he had been creative director of since 1983. He breathed new life into the house but also made sure to keep the essence of his legacy.
Lagerfeld updated the vocabulary of the Coco universe to represent the woman of the present with an eye on the future. He used an extemporaneous and sophisticated pragmatism to amplify Chanel’s reputation for being mysterious, feminine and indomitable through all its pearls, chains and tailoring. He not only led a renovated Chanel house over several decades but also through a change of millennium, all with the unequivocal lucidity that only true visionaries possess
The renowned designer understood the importance of balancing the weight of a historical legacy, like that of Chanel, with the irony of the postmodern mentality. In his collections, classic accessories coexisted with bags in the form of lifesavers and milk cartons, while traditional garments with the DNA of the great Mademoiselle metamorphosed into extraterrestrial fantasies. Lagerfeld understood how to create a fashion spectacle, transforming each runway into a collection-dependant parallel universe: from a beach to an airport through to a supermarket and a space base.
His rise in the fashion industry began in 1953 with a curious coincidence. Before a jury composed of Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy, some very young and unknown Yves Saint Laurent (17 years old) and Karl Otto Lagerfeld (21 years old) won the first prize, in the categories of dresses and coats, at the ‘International Wool Secretariat design contest’ (better known today as the Woolmark International Prize). This recognition would be his passport to start working at the atelier of Pierre Balmain which aided him in his journey to become creative director of Jean Patou in the 60s. From then, Karls worked with such brands as Max Mara, Fendi, and the legendary Chloé.
What was the archetype of a Lagerfeld woman? During his beginnings at Chanel (back in the 80s) the likes of Paloma Picasso, Inés de La Fressange or Carolina de Mónaco, not only became his friends, but also his muses. Later, Nicole Kidman and Vanessa Paradis staged their most iconic campaigns during the 1990s and more recently Lily-Rose Depp, or actresses Diane Kruger or Kirsten Stewart brought to life their vision of the Chanel woman. What do all these women have in common? They’re strong and exquisite but at the same time, inaccessible.
During a tireless career that spans more than half a century and was always marked by a relentless work philosophy, Karl became a caricature of himself : hands with gloves firmly attached to the lapels of his blazer, an abundant white hair tied in a ponytail, the emblematic high and starched collar of his shirts and the eternal sunglasses in both exterior and interior spaces. There was an era in which he liked t always be accessorised with a fan and another stage in which he wore a cascade of stacked silver rings. He perfectly mastered the art of excess as well as he maintained a scathing sense of humour; he had no qualms about laughing at himself wearing a yellow vest in a road safety campaign or his image being printed on Diet Coke cans around the world.
The world of fashion would be unrecognizable if the reforming force of Lagerfeld had not been an intrinsic and indivisible part of it. From the collaborations between the giants of the couture and the fast consumer brands (he was the first to create a capsule collection for H&M) to his firm commitment to traditional crafts and trades, Karl's legacy is sure to last forever.