Karl Lagerfeld (born Karl Otto Lagerfeldt on September 10, 1933) is widely recognized as one of the most influential fashion designers of the late 20th century He has collaborated with a variety of different fashion labels, with Chloé, Fendi and Chanel the most notable. But with contracts with companies internationally, throughout his career, he has probably built the most complicated resume of any designer. Furthermore, he has his own labels, which he launched in the early 1980s, including perfume and clothing. He has also played a role in equipping leading artists. is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fashion design is the applied art dedicated to the design of clothing and lifestyle accessories created within the cultural and social influences of a specific time. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Chloé 2005 ad, featuring the Chloé Paddington Bag Chloé is a French luxury fashion design house headquartered in Paris, France. ... Logo of Fendi, SpA A shop of Fendi in the Landmark, Hong Kong Fendi is an Italian fashion designer brand founded in 1918. ... Not to be confused with Channel. ...

Biography

Karl-Otto Lagerfeld was born 10 September 1933 in Hamburg, although Lagerfeld has long asserted that he was born in 1938. The German newspaper Bild am Sonntag has quoted his former teacher and classmates as confirming the earlier date. His father married Elisabeth Bahlmann in 1930 when he was 49 years old. His older sister Martha Christiane was born first in 1931. Lagerfeld also has an older half-sister, Thea, from his father's first marriage. His father's first wife died shortly after the birth of Thea. Karl's father, Otto Lagerfeld, was a member of a Swedish merchant-banking family and made his fortune introducing condensed milk to Germany. His mother, Elizabeth, was German. German birth records are not open to public inspection. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Early career (Balmain and Patou)

Together with his mother, Karl Lagerfeld emigrated to Paris in 1953. In 1955, at the age of 22, Lagerfeld was awarded a position as an apprentice at Pierre Balmain, after winning a competition for a coat sponsored by the International Wool Secretariat. He told a reporter a few years later, "I won on coats, but actually I like designing coats least of all. What I really love are little black dresses." Yves Saint Laurent also won the contest for a dress award. "Yves was working for Dior. Other young people I knew were working for Balenciaga, whom they thought was God, but I wasn't so impressed," he recalled in 1976. This article is about the capital of France. ... Pierre Balmain and Ruth Ford, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1947 Pierre Alexandre Claudius Balmain (May 18, 1914-June 29, 1982) was French fashion designer. ... Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent (born August 1, 1936 in Oran, Algeria), is a French fashion designer, considered among the greatest of the 20th century. ... Balenciaga is a fashion house founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga,1895 -1972 a Basque-Spanish artist. ...

In 1958, after three years at Balmain, he moved to Jean Patou, where he designed two Haute Couture collections a year for five years. His first collection was shown in a two-hour presentation in July 1958, but he went by the name of Roland Karl, rather than Karl Lagerfeld (although in 1962, reporters began referring to him as Karl Lagerfelt, and Karl Logerfeld.) That first collection was poorly received. Carrie Donovan wrote that "the press booed the collection." The UPI noted: "The firm's brand new designer, 25-year old Roland Karl, showed a collection which stressed shape and had no trace of last year's sack." The reporter went on to say that "A couple of short black cocktail dresses were cut so wide open at the front that even some of the women reporters gasped. Other cocktail and evening dresses feature low, low-cut backs." Most interestingly, Karl said that his design silhouette for the season was called by the letter "K" (for Karl), which was translated into a straight line in front, curved in at the waist in the back, with a low fullness to the skirt. Jean Patou (Paris, 1880-1936) was a French fashion designer. ... Carrie Donovan was the former style editor for The New York Times Magazine who is best known for her work in Old Navy commercials where she wore her trademark large spectacles and declared the merchandise was Fabulous!. Categories: People stubs ...

His next collection, for Spring 1959, was a vast improvement according to Carrie Donovan, who noted that the press "applauded widely and even shouted several bravos." She wrote that "His clothes... have a kind of understated chic, elegance, and just plain 'class' that has not been seen on this side of the Atlantic since Molyneux and Mainbocher closed up shop." Molyneux is the name of: Edward Molyneux, fashion designer and artist John Molyneux, British soldier John Molyneux, British writer Peter Molyneux, British computer game designer Samuel Molyneux, astronomer Stefan Molyneux, political writer Stephen Molyneux, British e-Learning pioneer William Molyneux, Irish natural philosopher For Viscount Molyneux, see Earl of Sefton... Mainbocher (1891-1976) (born Main Rousseau Bocher) was an American couturier who operated fashion houses in Paris and later New York from the 1930s through the 1960s. ...

His skirts for the Spring 1960 season were the shortest in Paris, and the collection was not well received. Carrie Donovan said it "looked like clever and immensely salable ready-to-wear, not couture." And in his Fall 1960 collection he designed special little hats, pancake shaped circles of satin, which hung on the cheek. He called them "slaps in the face." Karl's collection were said to be well received, but were not groundbreaking. "I became bored there, too, and I quit and tried to go back to school, but that didn't work, so I spent two years mostly on beaches – I guess I studied life."

Freelance career (1962–1982)

After leaving Patou in 1962, he immediately launched himself as a freelance designer, working with brands such as Mario Valentino, Repetto, and the supermarket chain Monoprix. Repetto is a famous ballet shoes company. ...

With money from his wealthy family, he set up a small shop in Paris. At this time, he would often consult with Madame Zereakian, Christian Dior's Turkish fortune teller. Lagerfeld later said, "She told me I'd succeed in fashion and perfume." Christian Dior (January 21, 1905 – October 23, 1957), was an influential French fashion designer. ...

In 1963 he began designing for Tiziani, a Roman couture house founded that year by a man named Evan Richards (b. 1924) of Jacksboro, Texas. It began as couture and then branched out into ready-to-wear, bearing the label "Tiziani-Roma -- Made in England." Lagerfeld and Richards sketched the first collection in 1963 together. "When they wound up with 90 outfits, Tiziani threw caution and invitations to the winds, borrowed Catherine the Great's jewels from Harry Winston, and opened his salon with a three-night wingding," according to one report in 1969. Lagerfeld designed for the company until 1969. Elizabeth Taylor was a fan of the label (she referred to Evan as "Evan Tiziani") and began wearing it in August 1966. Gina Lollobrigida, Doris Duke and Principessa Borghese were also customers while Lagerfeld was designing the line. He was replaced in 1969 with Guy Douvier. Jacksboro is a city located in Jack County, Texas. ... Catherine II (Екатерина II Алексеевна: Yekaterína II Alekséyevna, April 21, 1729 - November 6, 1796), born Sophie Augusta Fredericka, known as Catherine the Great, reigned as empress of Russia from... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... For other persons named Elizabeth Taylor, see Elizabeth Taylor (disambiguation). ... Gina Lollobrigida. ... Doris Duke (November 22, 1912 – October 28, 1993) was an American heiress and philanthropist. ...

In 1964 he began freelancing for Chloe in Paris, which would become one of his most important positions. At first he designed just a few pieces a season, but he eventually began designing the whole collection.

In 1970, while maintaining his position at Chloe, he began designing for the Roman Haute Couture house Curiel (the designer, a woman named Gigliola Curiel, died in November 1969.) It was a brief collaboration. His first collection was described as having a "drippy drapey elegance" designed for a "1930s cinema queen." The Curiel mannequins all wore identical, short-cropped blonde wigs. He also showed black velvet shorts, to be worn under a black velvet ankle-length cape.

His Chloe collection for Spring 1973 (shown in October 1972) garnered headlines for offering something both "high fashion and high camp." He showed loose Spencer jackets and printed silk shirt jackets. He designed something he called a "surprise" skirt, which was ankle-length, pleated silk, so loose that it hid the fact it was actually pants. "It seems that wearing these skirts is an extraordinary sensation," he told a report at the time. He also designed a look inspired by Carmen Miranda, which consisted of minibra dresses with very short skirts, and long dresses with bra tops and scarf shawls. Carmen Miranda, pron. ...

In 1972 he began his long collaboration with Fendi, designing furs, clothing and accessories.

International fame (1982 to present)

At the time, he had also been maintaining a design contract with the Japanese firm Isetan, to create collections for both men and women through 30 licenses; had a lingerie line in the US, produced by Eve Stillmann; was designing shoes for Charles Jourdan, sweaters for Ballantyne, and worked with Trevira as a fashion adviser. Isetan Shinjuku flagship store Isetan Co. ... Charles Jourdan (1883-1976) was a French fashion designer born in the same year as Coco Chanel, and known best for his designs of womens shoes starting in 1919. ... Ballantyne may refer to: // Ballantyne, a Charlotte, North Carolina neighborhood Ballantyne (cashmere)[1] Ballantynes (department store, Christchurch, New Zealand)[2] Ballantyne is a surname of Scottish origins This page or section lists people with the surname Ballantyne. ... Polyethylene terephthalate (aka PET, PETE or the obsolete PETP or PET-P) is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family that produced by the chemical industry and is used in synthetic fibers; beverage, food and other liquid containers; thermoforming applications; and engineering resins often in combination with glass fiber. ...

In the early 1990s he once employed strippers and the late Italian adult film star Moana Pozzi to model his black-and-white collection for Fendi and causing US Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour to stand up and leave the show. Moana Pozzi, often called simply Moana, complete name was Anna Moana Rosa Pozzi (April 27, 1961 - September 15, 1994) was an Italian pornstar. ... Anna Wintour (born November 3, 1949, in London) has been the editor-in-chief of American Vogue since 1988. ...

He has produced legendary pieces like the shower-dress, with beaded water streaming down the front; a car-dress with a radiator grille and fender, and a multitude of outstandingly eccentric hats.

Lagerfeld, along with Calvin Klein, was the target of a pieing by PETA in 2001 at a fashion premiere at Lincoln Center in New York City^[1] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Pieing is the act of throwing a pie at someone. ... People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals logo People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is an animal rights organization based in the United States. ... The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

In 2004 he designed some outfits for the international music artist's Madonna Re-Invention tour, and recently designed outfits for Kylie Minogue's Showgirls tour.According to some reports,he will designe a dress for Mariah Carey's upcoming "M by Mariah Carey" parfum promotion. This article is about the American entertainer. ... Kylie Ann Minogue (IPA: [1]) (born May 28, 1968) is a Brit and Grammy award-winning Australian pop singer-songwriter and occasional actress. ... Mariah is a female name of Middle Eastern ancestry. ... Carey - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

Recently, Lagerfeld collaborated with the international Swedish fashion brand H&M. On November 12, 2004, H&M offered a limited range of different Lagerfeld clothes in chosen outlets for both women and men. Only two days after having supplied its outlets, H&M announced that almost all the clothes were sold out. Lagerfeld has expressed a lack of fear that working with lower-end brands will taint his image, although in the past he has worked closely with the exclusive hosiery designer Wolford. For the former railroad, see Hudson and Manhattan Railroad. ... Wolford, located in Austria, is a marketer and manufacturer of hosiery and lingerie. ...

Lagerfeld is also a photographer. He produced Visionaire 23: The Emperor's New Clothes, a series of nude pictures of South African model David Miller. He also personally photographed Mariah Carey for the cover of V magazine in 2005. Mariah Carey (born March 27, 1970) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, music video director, and actress. ...

The designer was also the subject of a French reality series called Signé Chanel in 2005. The show covered the creation of his Fall/Winter 2004-2005 Chanel couture collection. It aired on Sundance Channel in the United States during the fall of 2006. Sundance Channel logo used from 1996 to 2002. ...

On December 18, 2006, Karl Lagerfeld announced the launch of a new collection for men and women dubbed K Karl Lagerfeld. The collection will include fitted T-shirts and a wide range of jeans.^[2] is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Weight loss

Lagerfeld is also famous for a dramatic transformation of his body, when he lost 42 kg (roughly 92.6 pounds) in 13 months. “I suddenly wanted to dress differently, to wear clothes designed by Hedi Slimane,” he said. “But these fashions, modeled by very, very slim boys—and not men my age—required me to lose at least 40 kg. It took me exactly thirteen months.” The diet was created specially for Lagerfeld by Dr. Jean-Claude Houdret, which led to a book called The Karl Lagerfeld Diet.^[3] Hedi Slimane (born July 5, 1968 in Paris) is a French fashion designer. ...

Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

• His original name was Lagerfeldt (with the "t"), but later changed it to Lagerfeld as "it sounds more commercial."^[4]
• Lagerfeld converted his 60,000 CD collection onto his arsenal of Apple iPods. As of December 2004, he owned roughly 70 iPods, scattered around the globe in his various residences.^[5]
• Karl has also taken a liking to Chan Marshall, singer of Cat Power, whom he has flown out to several Chanel shows in Europe.
• He has mixed a personal and work music CD called Karl Lagerfeld : Les Musiques que j'aime.
• Carolina Herrera declared him as the "Most Kissable" in fashion industry.^[6]
• Karl has a penchant for Vienna Sausages, which he attributes to his German heritage.
• He credits Brian McDonough for some inspiration in his latest Chanel collection.
• He speaks fluent French

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Apple Inc. ... iPod is a brand of portable media players designed and marketed by Apple and launched in October 2001. ... Cat Power is the stage name of American singer/songwriter Charlyn Chan Marshall (born Charlyn Marie Marshall on 21 January 1972). ... Not to be confused with Channel. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Carolina Herrera (Carolina Pacanins Niño de Herrera Guevara). ... Opened can of Vienna sausage Vienna sausage is a term used for a canned sausage. ...

Quotes

• "The reason American cars don’t sell anymore is that they have forgotten how to design the American Dream. What does it matter if you buy a car today or six months from now, because cars are not beautiful. That’s why the American auto industry is in trouble: no design, no desire." - Karl Lagerfeld, Vanity Fair, February 1992
• "Only the minute and the future are interesting in fashion – it exists to be destroyed. If everybody did everything with respect, you'd go nowhere."
• "I don't like standard beauty – there is no beauty without strangeness."
• "The iPod completely changed the way people approach music."
• "Dieting is the only game where you win when you lose!"
• "People who say that yesterday was better than today are ultimately devaluing their own existence."

For other uses, see American Dream (disambiguation). ... American actress Demi Moore, on a typical Vanity Fair cover (August, 1991) Vanity Fair is a glossy American glamour magazine monthly that offers a mixture of articles based on sensational exaggerations, jet-set and entertainment-business personalities, politics, and lies. ...

References

External links

• Karl Lagerfeld Official Website
• Karl Lagerfeld - Biography
• Miami Beach USA Article with photos on Karl Lagerfeld and his designs.
• Sundance Channel's Signé Chanel site
• New Yorker: John Colapinto: In The Now. Where Karl Lagerfeld Lives Extensive profile (ca. 10 000 words)
• JuliB: Lagerfeld Confidential