Karl Lagerfeld - A Designer, A Legend

In January, there was a lot of talk on the fashion scene when Karl Lagerfeld missed the Chanel Haute Couture show in Paris. A haute couture show is the show of the year. It is an opportunity for a brand to showcase the best they have to offer, not only in design and artistic abilities but in terms of craftsmanship with many details (if not all) completely done by hand. Even the runway cannot be called just that. Instead, it is often comparable to a theater set and many times an extravagant one. It is grand in scale and scope. And in some cases, the location sets these shows apart, from an exotic city or a luxury location.

I digress. Although, I wanted to paint the picture of what it meant when Karl - the King of Chanel - missed the haute couture shows in January. He had been with the brand for 36 years and from what I read, this was the first show he had ever missed.

With his age thought to be 85-years-old, some outlets have reported his exact age could not be confirmed, you could only imagine what the fashion rumor began to speculate in January. One article I read thought something health-related may have caused him to miss these shows - and not something to take lightly - because Vogue had done a haute couture throwback and only included Chanel. This outlet speculated Vogue would know more than they may let on as its editor-in-chief Anna Wintour would be certain to know more than others.

In turn, when it was announced Karl passed away on February 19, 2019, it was not necessarily a surprise but it was still a shock. He was a man that spoke his mind and had to have been one of the most hardworking people out there. He was old school in the sense he sketched, drew all of his designs. He didn't complain about the increased fashion week schedule and instead seemed to thrive on it.

Karl leaves such a legacy behind. He has inspired so many people, both in and out of the fashion world. His no nonsense approach could be misinterpreted but I always appreciated how he was not afraid to say what was on his mind. He was respected by many, and it was earned. He took Chanel and made it a powerhouse. Before we begin to look ahead for Chanel, Fendi and his namesake brand, let's take a moment and remember Karl - a designer, a legend.

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