Who was Karl Lagerfeld? Met Gala 2023 to pay tribute to late fashion designer

The 2023 fashion dress code for Met Gala will be Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty as a tribute to the late fashion designer, Vogue announced. 

On Wednesday, Vogue magazine announced the news on their social media and website. “This year, the #MetGala – which benefits the @metmuseum ‘s @metcostumeinstitute – falls on May 1 and will honor one of fashion’s greatest talents: Karl Lagerfeld,” the magazine wrote on Instagram.  

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This made many wonder who Karl Lagerfeld was.

Who was Karl Lagerfeld?

Karl Otto Lagerfeld was a German fashion designer, creative director, artist, and photographer. He was born on September 10, 1933, in Hamburg. As a child, he was interested in visual arts, and former schoolmates recalled that he was always making sketches “no matter what we were doing in class.”

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He moved to Paris in 1953, where he won a contest held by the International Wool Secretariat in the coat category for his designer, alongside Yves Saint Laurent, who won in the dress category.

Soon after, he was hired as the assistant and later apprentice for Pierre Balmain under whom he worked for for three years.

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In 1958, Karl was hired as Jean Patou’s artistic director and worked on ten haute couture collections with the brand.

He was the creative director of Chanel, a position he held from 1983 until his death, and was also the creative director of Fendi, and of his own eponymous fashion label.

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He is credited with bringing Chanel back to life with the now iconic interlocked CC logo, changing the sizes of the bags and jewelry. He also updated the silhouette of clothing for the brand. He’s also worked with Chloe, and Patou during his career in fashion. Karl began his own brand Karl Lagerfeld in 1984.

Lagerfeld has easily recognizable for his signature appearance comprising of white hair, black sunglasses, fingerless gloves, and high, starched, detachable collars.

Karl died on February 19, 2019, at the age of 85 following complications of pancreatic cancer.