Who was Karl Lagerfeld, designer who inspired Met Gala theme
The 2023 Met Gala's theme—Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty—was a tribute to the late fashion designer who left an indelible mark on the fashion world. The iconic designer had an incredible influence on the fashion industry but also maintained a controversial reputation throughout his career. As his legacy was celebrated at the fashion event this year, here's a closer look at Lagerfeld's life.
A prolific designer, best known as Chanel's creative director
The German designer was best known for his work as the French fashion house Chanel's creative director, a post which he held from 1983 until his demise in 2019. Over the course of his long and illustrious career, his impeccable designs transformed Chanel into one of the most valuable and prestigious fashion houses and he was the figure who popularized the iconic "double-C" logo.
Lagerfeld's life and fashion legacy
Born in 1933 in Hamburg Germany, Lagerfeld as a child wanted to become a caricaturist but soon realized his inclination toward fashion. His passion led him to Paris, where he studied fashion illustration. At the age of 21, he was bestowed with the prestigious Woolmark Prize for a sketch he did for a coat, which eventually, landed him a job at the valuable Balmain.
Lagerfeld: A larger-than-life infectious personality
By the time he entered Chanel in 1983, he already became an undisputed king of controversy. For one thing, Lagerfeld enjoyed shocking media—whether by letting his boyfriend plan a Chloè event or by making a public display of his feuds with frenemy Yves Saint Laurent. Interestingly, in 2001, he captured headlines for shedding 92 pounds so as to fit into Dior Homme suits.
Why is he a controversial personality?
It comes as a shock to many that the maverick designer courted controversy in order to gain popularity in mainstream media. Once, the late designer called singer Adele "a little too fat," and even pointed fingers at fat people for France's social security woes. In 2018, in an interaction with Numero Magazine, he stated that he was apparently "fed up" with the #MeToo movement.
Other derogatory comments that made him controversial
The designer came without any filter—a statement that is undeniably true. In 2017, Lagerfeld in an interview criticized Chancellor Angela Merkel for letting refugees from Syria enter Germany. His anti-immigrant remarks were, "Kill millions of Jews so you can bring millions of their worst enemies in their place." In 2010, he sparked controversy for photographing supermodel Claudia Schiffer in blackface with an Afro wig.
