Karl Lagerfeld has died at the age of 85.
The fashion designer and creative director of luxury brand Chanel reportedly passed away on Tuesday morning (19.02.19) after battling ill health for several weeks.
France’s Closer magazine reports that he was admitted to hospital in Paris, France on Monday evening (18.02.19) and passed away this morning. The cause of death is not yet known.
Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg, Germany on September 10, 1933 and began his career in fashion 22 years later. He worked as an assistant to Pierre Balmain after winning a design competition. Three years later, he departed Balmain and went on in the coming years to freelance for French fashion house Chloé, which was met by mixed reviews during fashion week shows. As the years went on, his fame in the fashion industry rose further.
Lagerfeld was offered the job at Chanel in 1985 – but he was worried about joining them.
He said: "At that time, I already had a good reputation, I was doing Fendi and Chloe. I had been warned, ‘Do not take Chanel, it’s awful.’ When I arrived, she [Coco] had been dead for 10 years and everyone lived in the respect of her memory. If you want to kill a house, show [her] respect."
During his time at Chanel, Lagerfeld helped to produce up to eight collections for the brand a year, much to the excitement and enjoyment of fashion fans across the world. He was also creative director for Fendi and he also worked on his eponymous fashion label.
Lagerfeld was known for his dark suits and contrasting white hair, which was always tied into a ponytail. He also was a fan of tinted sunglasses and regularly wore these.
Speaking about his appearance, he shared: "I am like a caricature of myself, and I like that."
He had sparked concerns about his health when he missed the chance to greet the audience at the end of a Chanel fashion show last month in Paris because he was feeling "tired".
Karl Lagerfeld dies aged 85
