Born: September 10, 1933 (age 77) Hamburg, German

Labels Karl Lagerfeld Chanel Fendi

 Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg, Germany September 10, 1938 as Karl Otto Lagerfeldt, but he later changed it to Lagerfeld as "it sounds more commercial. This now highly influential designer moved to Paris at age 10 and started working at fashion houses as a draftsman. This started his fashion career by teaching young Karl about the world of design. At age 22 Karl became the assistant to Pierre Balmain after winning 2nd place in a design competition sponsored by the International Wool Secretariat. The next three years were spent with Balmain until Lagerfeld moved on and accepted the role of art director for Jean Patou. The following five years, Patou taught Lagerfeld all about, architecture, music and history. The first couture collection that he designed for Patou was not well received and was very risqu for Paris at the time. However his next Couture fashion collection was a great improvement and had the media shouting bravo!.

 Universally recognized as one of the most prolific and highprofile designers of the last 20 years, Karl Lagerfeld has maintained his reputation through consistently strong work for the numerous lines he produces every year. Each label has its own distinct look, while clearly bearing the bold, uncompromising Lagerfeld signature that guarantees the success of everything he produces. Moving between several main collections, Lagerfeld designs with consummate ease, displaying the skills he learned from his couture background in fine tailoring and flashes of surreal detailing. He has functioned best as a catalyst, reinvigorating labels and broadening their customer base. Since 1983 he most spectacularly demonstrated this capability at Chanel, where, despite some criticism, Lagerfeld brought back the label to the pinnacle of high fashion.

He produced endless innovative variations on the signature tweed suits that often mix street style references, such as teaming the traditional Chanel jacket with denim miniskirts and the signature gilt buttons and chains. Lagerfeld also stretched the Chanel look to embrace younger customers, with club-influenced black fishnet body stockings, the traditional Chanel camellia placed cheekily over the breasts, and hefty lace-up boots set against flowing georgette skirts and leather jackets. This combination of wit with recognizable Chanel symbols rejuvenated the house, making Lagerfelds fashion word an inspirational message to a new generation. Only Lagerfeld could put Chanel label on panties (1993) and camelliatrimmed cotton vests (1992) to make them the most talked-about elements of the Paris collections. Yet this quirkiness was underpinned by the quality of Lagerfelds designs and the mix of classic separates that have alwaysbeen an undercurrent in his work. His own name label, KL, highlights these skills. Bold tailoring,easy-to-wear cardigan jackets in his favorite bright colors, combined with softly shaped knitwear, showed the breadth of his talents and ensured the longevity of his appeal. If his more outrageous combinations at Chanel have enabled him to outlive the excesses of the 1970s that trapped some of his contemporaries, then his clever manipulation of fabric and color has prolonged the life of his clothes still further.

From 1975 to 2008 Lagerfeld launched 5 fragrances including Chloe which was the first time a fragrance was branded globally by a designer who did not have his own label. After the launch and success of Chloe, Karl launched LAGERFELD, PHOTO, and finally JAKO.In 1983 Karl Lagerfeld was named Art Director for Chanel where he is today and in 1984 Karl launched his own clothing line, KARL LAGERFELD. Dont forget that Karl was still designing for Fendi during this time and if that wasnt enough he decided to get back on the Chloe train for another 5 years as head designer. Further still in 1987 Lagerfeld picked up the camera and hasnt put it down since. He has been shooting for top fashion magazines and often creates his own spreads and advertising campaigns for the lines he designs for. Altogether Karl Lagerfeld is a brilliant man with many brilliant talents.

1933 Karl Otto Lagerfeldt is born in Hambur 1938 The year Karl would like to be born in and frequently tells people this (He was actually born in 1933 as per the local christening records) 1953 Karl Lagerfeld moves to Paris 1955 Balmain hires a new assistant and that assistant is Lagerfeld 1958 Lagerfeld moves to Jean Patou as Assistant Director 1963 Lagerfeld began designing for Roman Fashion house Tiziani until 1969 1964 Karl freelances for Chloe until they hire him in 1970 until 1972 1972 He collaborates with Italian fashion house Fendi (Is still currently at Fendi) 1980 Designs for the La Scala Theatre in Milan until 1990 1998 Karl Lagerfeld designed his own collection called LAGERFELD GALLERY 1999 Opened bookstore 7L 2000 Opened Publishing company Editions 7L 2002 Designed costumes for Carmen sequences in Callas Forever 2004 Karl Lagerfeld designs 30 looks for H&M under the Lagerfeld for H&M line 2004 Madonna gets Lagerfeld outfits for her Re-Invention tour 2005 Lagerfeld Gallery get sold to Tommy Hilfiger, Karl remains the head of direction for Lagerfeld Gallery 2005 Lagerfeld stars in the series Sign Chanel which covered the creation of his Fall/Winter 20042005 Chanel couture collection 2006 Kylie Minogue wears Lagerfelds designs for her Showgirl tour 2006 Lagerfeld Gallery changes its name to KARL LAGERFELD 2006 Launch of the K Karl Lagerfeld line 2007 LAGERFELD CONFIDETIEL is created which is a documentary about Karl 2009 Karl Lagerfeld is made into pins, puppets, and pendants for wear 2010 Coke designs a bottle for Coca-Cola Light which features Karl Lagerfeld 2010 Lagerfeld teams up with Orrefors to design a crystal art collection to be launched in Spring 2011 called Orrefors by Karl Lagerfeld