5 Amazing Facts About Karl Lagerfeld

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Karl Lagerfeld was a true inspiration to millions across the world. His distinctive look of black fingerless gloves and a high detachable collar made him stand out from the crowd. His vision turned Chanel around from the brink of collapse into the most important fashion house in the world. But there are a few things about the life of the designer you may not know.

With the sad passing of a true fashion icon, let’s take a look at 5 amazing facts about Karl Largerfeld…



He Was An Amazing Political Caricaturist

From an early age Largerfeld was always seen doodling and sketching. Fashion wasn't the only road his drawing skills led him down. Up until his death, he  drew political cartoons for the german news magazine ‘Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung’. Since 2013 the fashion guru took illustrative swipes at the policies of German leader, Angela Merkel. Largerfeld took great offensive to the immigration restrictions the Chancellor placed on Germany. He likened these policies to that of Hitler's during the 1930s.

He Lied About His Age

For years the head of Chanel hoodwinked us about his age. Largerfeld claimed to be born in 1938 then later 1935. He celebrated his ‘70th’ birthday party at the age of 75! Through research of records it’s now proved his actual birth year was 1933. We can't really blame Largerfeld though, after all, you're as old as you feel!



He Didn't Wear Fur Personally

During the 1980s Karl Lagerfeld’s coat propelled fur back into fashion. Fur was beginning to fade away in the fashion world since its heyday in the 1920s. His original uses of mink and rabbit gave Chanel the cutting edge on the catwalk. His desire to work with real fur created a strong backlash for organisations such as PETA. Raging public arguments between animal rights campaigners and Largerfeld ensued for decades despite the designer himself choosing not to wear fur products.

He lost 100 Pounds In 2001

93 pounds to be precise but still, a huge amount of weight. The early noughties saw a big shift towards slimmer, skinnier designs which Mr Largerfeld just had to be part of. Over the course of thirteen months he managed to slim right down, impressive for a man in his 60s.  His weight remained light for the rest of life. Many people took an interest in his methods and his diet was published in book form which is still available today.

He Worked For Pierre Balmain

During the 1950s Largerfeld won a junior fashion competition catching the eye of legendary designer Pierre Balmain and Yves Saint Laurent. He worked at first as Balmain’s assistant before rising up the ranks to apprentice. These formative years would be invaluable to Largerfeld, giving him unprecedented knowledge to inform his later designs and vision.



So there’s a few facts you might not have known about Karl Largerfeld. One thing we all know for sure is that his designs and ideas transformed Chanel and the face of fashion forever.

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