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Legendary fashion designer and creative director of Chanel Karl Lagerfeld has died, according to multiple reports. He was 85 years old.
“Karl your genius touched the lives of so many, especially Gianni and I,” Donatella Versace wrote on Instagram on Tuesday morning. “We will never forget your incredible talent and endless inspiration. We were always learning from you.”
While his cause of death is currently unknown, he was admitted to the hospital on Monday night after missing the Chanel haute couture show in Paris in January due to “feeling tired,” according to The Guardian.
Lagerfeld was known as Chanel’s creative director, though he also designed for Fendi as a consultant director, working on their fur lines.
“When I took on Chanel, it was a sleeping beauty — not even a beautiful one,” he said in 2007 documentary Lagerfeld Confidential, according to the Associated Press. ″She snored.”
He also designed for the French house Chloé, and he started his career as an assistant to Pierre Balmain in 1955 before being hired by another Paris-based house, Patou, where was artistic director for four years.
Lagerfeld became known just as much for his iconic look as he did his fashion designs.
“His ice-white ponytail, dark sunglasses and black leather gloves became his style signatures, as did his black tailored suits,” The Guardian writes. “His favourite were the slimline style by the designer Hedi Slimane while he was at Dior. In another famous quote he once said: ‘I lost 200lb to wear suits by Hedi Slimane.’”
He was also once quoted by British Vogue saying, “I am like a caricature of myself, and I like that. It is like a mask. And for me the Carnival of Venice lasts all year long.”
This story is developing.
Karl Lagerfeld, Creative Director of Chanel, Has Died at 85 was originally published on cassiuslife.com
