The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2024 - Issue 35

bitedesignerprofile selection of Lagerfeld’s designs, sketches and artefacts. Each section highlighted different aspects of his multi- faceted career where visitors could witness the evolution of his style and the breadth of his creativity firsthand. His early years included working at Jean Patou and Chloé, where he honed his craft and developed his signature style. Another section dedicated to Fendi featured stun- ning fur creations. Its centrepiece was the Chanel section, which displayed some of Lagerfeld’s most iconic designs, including little black dresses, tweed suits, and sumptuous evening gowns. The section also highlighted his eponymous label, which pushed the boundaries of fashion with its bold, avant-garde designs. The designer’s reinvention cement- ed him at the forefront of the industry for decades. He was a master of blending tradition with innovation, creating timeless and forward-thinking designs. At the time of his death in 2019, Lagerfeld had left an indelible mark on prestigious fashion houses Chanel, Fendi, Chloé and his eponymous label over a six-decade career. He was wildly distinctive in his signature white ponytail, Chanel dark sunglasses and high-collared shirts. The fashion pioneer was born Karl Otto Lagerfeldt in Hamburg in 1933 to a wealthy German businessman and a Swedish mother. When he was 14, the family moved to Paris, and he enrolled in the Lycée Montaigne to study drawing and history. After winning first prize at the International Wool Asso- ciation competition for his coat sketch, the 17-year-old Lagerfeld was hired by Parisian couturier Pierre Balmain as his assistant in 1955, and they reproduced the coat. “Pierre Balmain asked me whether I would be interested to work in his studio,” he told System Magazine online. “I asked my parents, and they said if it didn’t work out, I’d still be able to return to school.” He stayed at Balmain for three and a half years before moving to Jean Patou. As Patou’s artistic director, Lagerfeld designed two haute couture collections a year for five years. “I never went to fashion design school. I am totally self-taught, an autodidact,” he revealed. He became the first fashion freelancer in the ‘60s, working briefly with Charles Jour- dan, Tiziano and Valentino. At Chloé, his designs were celebrated for their romantic and feminine aesthetics, in stark contrast to the structured styles of the time. In 1965, Lagerfeld joined Fendi, where he remained until his death. He was instrumental in transforming the Italian fashion house into a global luxury powerhouse, introducing innovative techniques and materials, such as using fur in unconventional ways. He mastered ex- traordinary attention to detail, a deep understanding of craftsmanship and a relentless drive for innovation. One of his iconic collections was ‘Karlito’ for FW13, featuring playful, fur-adorned accessories inspired by his likeness. Jada Brookes traces Karl Lagerfeld’s fashion career from an International Wool Association winner hired by Pierre Balmain to a multifaceted powerhouse designing collections for several fashion houses, including his eponymous label.