Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel fashion designer, dies aged 85 (theguardian.com).
As one of the most prolific and admired designers of modern times, Lagerfeld’s influence on the fashion industry is unparalleled. Known fondly in fashion circles as “the Kaiser” thanks to his German heritage, he was famously uncompromising in his design vision, once declaring: “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants.”
Holding long-term design positions with the Italian house Fendi, establishing his eponymous brand with the French house Chloé and reinventing the languishing French fashion house Chanel in the early ’80s with whom he would become known as creative director until his death, as famous for his signature ice-white ponytail, white shirt, black suit and tie, dark sunglasses and fingerless leather gloves as for his designs.
French interior minister, Christophe Castaner said Lagerfeld was “an immense and extraordinary personality” who represented “a kind of French artistry” and 80s supermodel Claudia Schiffer who was a close confidante saying “Karl was my magic dust, he transformed me from a shy German girl into a supermodel … what Warhol was to art, he was to fashion; he is irreplaceable” and with finely stitched tributes from other for whom he had helped fashion success:
Spice Girl-turned-designer Victoria Beckham lead a host of tributes to the late fashion designer today, writing: “So incredibly sad to hear this. Karl was a genius and always so kind and generous to me both personally and professionally. RIP”.
And in death likely continuing to provide for those he loved:
One of the designer’s most important companions in later life was his Birman cat Choupette, who he has called his one true love and famously said he would marry if it were legal, has enjoyed a life of luxury and has made more than £2.5million herself.
#RIPKarlLargerfeld (Instagram).
Updated 20th February 2019
But missing from the Mail’s whole-story-in-a-headline the first paragraph of the body text you needn’t read says that they will also be mixed with those of his mother too.
[A spokeswoman for Chanel] added that as per Lagerfeld’s wishes—he once famously said: “There will be no funeral. I’d rather die!”—there will be no ceremony.
But despite the gushing and outpouring of grief, he was not without controversy. For sure, can anything be in high fashion?
The controversial genius of Karl Lagerfeld (bbc.co.uk).
But others, including actress Jameela Jamil, said his often polarising comments cast a shadow over his legacy.
Jamil, who stars in comedy The Good Place, shared a link to an article criticising Lagerfeld, and said he should not be painted as a saint.
But with former face pulling face of a generation model and actress Cara Delevingne who regularly worked with Lagerfeld, and who herself voiced her distaste for “getting others approval in modelling” when deciding to write that she was leaving it before deciding it was “word vomit” soon later (Latest Picks 15th March 2016), defending the late Lagerfeld on Twitter, telling Jamil to “just go home” and “stop bashing people for attention” in now-deleted tweets, perhaps realising after posting just how unfortunate it could be seen to be telling a British-born but with Pakistani heritage actress to “just go home” on a confirmation bias beset platform which after the Brexit referendum has allowed “I’m not racist buts” and full-on National Front era bovver boot wearers to crawl out from rocks they have been lying low under since the the ’90s.
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