Karl Lagerfeld & the Fashion Industry: A Legacy that will Last Forever Forever

The first Monday in May is one of the most important days in the fashion industry, it is Met Gala day.

This years theme honors the late designer who has, since 1955, reign and shaped the luxury market. A legacy that does not outrun controversies and yet is one of the most influential, Karl shaped the way clothes were made, marketed and appreciated. Setting every brand he worked with on the highest of levels. This May he won’t be joining the acclaimed event but he will be honored as h=we celebrate Karl: A Line of Beauty.

Photo: Keystone-France via Harper’s Bazaar

It all started with him winning the coat category for a design competition in 1955 for the International Wool Association in Paris. This win was life-changing for him and lead him to become Pierre Balmain’s assistant that same year. A few years later, in 1957, Lagerfeld moved labels to Jean Patou and created 10 haute couture collections for them. However, in the 60s he decided he was going to become a freelance designer so that he could work with multiple brands and have as much experience as possible.

His decision to be a freelance designer was monumental because he was one of the first freelancers in the industry, but this also led him to the start of his work with Chloé and Fendi. In 1964 he started to work for Chloé which led him to be in total creative control starting in 1966. Lagerfeld worked with Chloé as a designer and creative director from 1964-1983 and from 1992-1997. During his time there he, once again, made history by being the first designer without their own brand to release a fragrance. 

Photo: Paolo Cocco via Harper’s Bazaar

In 1965, during his freelance time period, he collaborated with Curiel which later allowed him to begin work for Fendi. Although Lagerfeld always worked with many different brands, he worked with Fendi from 1965 until his death. Over the 54 years that he designed for Fendi, he created over 100 collections. He is truly a one-of-a-kind designer and did what many people can’t, proven by his countless amount of total collections and labels that he worked for. 

The brand that Lagerfeld is most known for is Chanel. His work with Chanel will forever go down in history as some of the best collections and creations that were designed. Chanel chairman, Alain Wertheimer, came to Lagerfeld in 1982 and asked him if he would design for the fashion house as they were struggling quite a bit at the time. When asking others about the job offer, everyone told him that the brand could not be saved and that he shouldn’t accept the offer. However, Lagerfeld saw this as a challenge that he wanted to face and so he ultimately accepted and took over as chief artistic director in 1983. 

During his time at Chanel, he completely revamped the label and brought back the energy of Coco Chanel. His timeless pieces are now staples for many and the interlocking CC logo is all thanks to him. In addition to becoming the most iconic designer Chanel has had, he started photography in 1987 and was doing regular photoshoots for Haper’s Bazaar. This also led him to take control of all of Chanel’s advertising and marketing. In total, Lagerfeld transformed Chanel into a $10 billion fashion house that is known for the classic and timeless pieces that everyone loves today.

Photo: Mark Graham via The New York Times

Shortly after joining the Chanel team, he started his own brand named Karl Lagerfeld. He was working on his own label all the while working for Chanel and Fendi. Although he was a very busy man he somehow had time for all of this and turned Karl Lagerfeld into a brand that is known for avant-garde seductiveness. In 2005 Lagerfeld sold the company to Tommy Hilfiger but remain very involved as the chief creative director. 

Photo: Charles Sykes via Insider

Karl Lagerfeld is a designer that is admirable, inspiring, and respectable. His many jobs at numerous fashion houses landed him many awards such as The Fashion Visionary Award from the Couture Council of New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, the Commander’s Cross of the Legion of Honor by the French President, the Outstanding Achievement Award at the British Fashion Awards, and more awards. Unfortunately, Lagerfeld passed away on February 19, 2019. This was a day that hurt to the core since the fashion world lost one of the most creative designers we had seen in a long time. Nevertheless, we celebrate his life this year for the Met Gala and honor all he did for so many brands, designers, models, and fashion enthusiasts worldwide.