In the World of Fashion: Death of an Icon
I was saddened by the news that Karl Lagerfeld died in Paris earlier this week at the age of 85. I’m glad he was with us for so long, but his talent will be missed in the world of fashion.
He designed for Fendi for 54 years, and is known particularly for his career as creative director for the house of Chanel for 36 years. Shortly after his death, his successor was confirmed as Virginie Viard. She was his longstanding right-hand helper in his work for decades.
Lagerfeld worked straight through to the end, although he was unable to attend the Chanel Haute Couture spring/summer 2019 show in January because he was “too tired.” Viard stood in his place at that show. It has been reported that Lagerfeld was working hard on the women’s autumn/winter 2019 Fendi collection up until his death, giving notes from his bed. Three days after his death, that final collection was shown in Milan.
Besides his designs, another thing I enjoyed about Lagerfeld was his witty and wacky thoughts as evidenced in his quotes…some thoughtful, some humorous, and some that implied the eccentricity that drove his unique creative career. Looking through his quotes for this post, I had a lot of good laughs. Lagerfeld held strong opinions and stated them boldly. Some are outrageous, controversial and not put politely. Those I skipped.
Following are some of my favorite designs and quotes by Karl Lagerfeld, starting with one that proves age doesn’t matter!
Selected Quotes by Karl Lagerfeld
“Youthfulness is about how you live not when you were born.”
―“You cannot fake chic but you can be chic and fake fur”
―“I don’t like standard beauty – there is no beauty without strangeness.”
―“A respectable appearance is sufficient to make people more interested in your soul”
―
“What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.”
―“Normally, I don’t recommend me for wedding dresses — they all get a divorce.” — 2012.
“Clear thinking at the wrong moment can stifle creativity.”
―
On books:
“I will not talk about that. I like to read biographies, history, philosophical things like this. But it’s for my private use, and not for making people say, Oh, how clever this stupid man is. I don’t make intellectual conversation. I’m very superficial. I’m just a fashion designer. Fashion designers look at fashion magazines, right?”
“Books are a hard-bound drug with no danger of an overdose. I am the happy victim of books.”
―On Buying Clothes:“Never use the word “cheap”. Today everybody can look chic in inexpensive clothes (the rich buy them too). There is good clothing design on every level today. You can be the chicest thing in the world in a T-shirt and jeans — it’s up to you.”
―“Guilty feelings about clothes are totally unnecessary. A lot of people earn their living by making clothes, so you should never feel bad.”
―
On Style:“I want everyone to wear what they want and mix it in their own way. That, to me, is what is modern.”
―“Reinvent new combinations of what you already own. Improvise. Become more creative. Not because you have to, but because you want to. Evolution is the secret for the next step.”
―“Buy what you don’t have yet, or what you really want, which can be mixed with what you already own. Buy only because something excites you, not just for the simple act of shopping.”
―“Keep the best, forget the rest.”
―
On Black:
“Black, like white, is the best color. They both look great with added color touches like red.” — Harper’s Bazaar, 2009.
“There will never be a Chanel collection without black”―
“One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress.”
―“Think pink but don’t wear it”
―
On Fashion:“I am a fashion person, and fashion is not only about clothes — it’s about all kinds of change”
―“Fashion is about going ahead, not about memory.”
―“Fashion does not have to prove that it is serious. It is the proof that intelligent frivolity can be something creative and positive”
―“Fashion is neither moral or immoral, but it is for rebuilding the morale.”―“Fashion is a language that creates itself in clothes to interpret reality.”―
1973 – On his boudoir:
“If you see it you will think about everything except sex, because it is the unsexiest room ever. I love unsexy bedrooms.”
2006 – On staying healthy:
“Vanity is the healthiest thing in life.”
2007 – On furnishing a home:
“The most important piece in the house is the garbage can.”
2009 – His thoughts on the recession:
“Bling is over. Red carpetry covered with rhinestones is out. I call it the new modesty.”
2011 – On Coco Chanel:
“What I do Coco would have hated. The label has an image and it’s up to me to update it. I do what she never did. I had to find my mark. I had to go from what Chanel was to what it should be, could be, what it had been to something else.”
What did you think of Karl Lagerfeld’s comments and designs? Do you like Chanel and Fendi fashions? Do you buy designer clothes? Let us know in the comments below!
Like this post? You might also like to read:
- “How to Get Designer Clothes at a Discount”
- “How to Reveal without Revealing: Detroit Designers Astound”
- “How Breakthrough Designers Are Launching a Detroit Fashion Week”
Do you have a friend who would like this? Please use the Share buttons.
This post is linked up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, where you can find even more blog posts about fashion to browse!
I would really appreciate it if you would follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and/or Bloglovin. Thanks!
Hi Angie! Thank you for this tribute to the genius of a most remarkable able man. No doubt, he spoke his mind, but his brilliance will go down in history!!
I guess he was born to be a luxury fashion designer, from what I gather from his comments and his life’s work!
I’ve long been a fan of Karl L and his genius fashion mind. Chanel never goes out of style and his quotes are so interesting. What a lovely way to honor his passing.
Brava, you!
XoXo Jonet
Thank you, Jonet, that touches me!
I love that you gave us Karl through his quotes; he was eccentric, fearless, smart and incredibly creative; so many amazing ingredients in just one man. Thank you.