Rabat – Karl Lagerfeld, the 85-year-old designer and creative director of fashion house Chanel, died on Tuesday, February 19.
Although no official cause of his death has been made public, reports say that Lagerfeld was in ill health for weeks before his passing. He was also notably absent from several Chanel shows in January.
Sources told Town & Country magazine before Lagerfeld’s death that he was “not doing well” and having trouble walking.
Lagerfeld’s was a long and distinguished life that left an indelible mark on the fashion industry. He was born in 1933 in Hamburg, Germany. At the tender of age of 14, he decided to move to Paris to follow his passion for design and begin his career.
Lagerfeld always had a distinctive vision and a passion for reinventing familiar concepts. And once in Paris, it didn’t take long for his career to take off. He worked with some of the most famous fashion brands during his career, among them Tommy Hilfiger, Balmain, and Chloe.
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But Lagerfeld is mostly known for his work as Creative Director of iconic French fashion house Chanel. He took over the role in 1983, just as many people were speculating the fashion house was in decline. He managed to keep Chanel in the spotlight by staying true to iconic Chanel details such as tweed and gold accents but kept the brand fresh by mixing in trends.
Anna Wintour, the editor of American Vogue and arguably the most influential person in the fashion industry, summed up his mark on the fashion industry best, saying: “he represents the soul of fashion: restless, forward-looking and voraciously attentive to our changing culture.”
