Karl Lagerfeld designed a coat for the International Wool Secretariat design contest in 1955 and won second place, behind Yves Saint Laurent. His coat was produced by Pierre Balmain and he became the designer's assistant at age 17. Lagerfeld worked with Balmain for three years before moving to Jean Patou, where he designed haute couture collections for the next five years. In the early '60s, Lagerfeld plunged into a career as an independent designer, working for brands like Mario Valentino, Repetto, Tiziani, Chloé, and Curiel. In 1972, he began collaborating with Fendi, designing furs, clothing, and accessories. In 1984, he created his own line Karl Lagerfeld, while continuing both his collaboration with Chanel, where he was named art director in 1983, and his longstanding collaboration with Fendi. Lagerfeld also designed collections for Chloé from 1992 to 1997, his ultra-feminine dresses and coats generally earning rave reviews. The year 1997 marked the end of the original Karl Lagerfeld brand. In 1998, he launched a new label, Lagerfeld Gallery. The label was an outlet for Lagerfeld to channel his interests and his personal style, which quickly gained ground after collaborating with mass retail giant H&M and selling controlling interest in the company to Tommy Hilfiger. In 2006, the Lagerfeld Gallery collection was renamed Karl Lagerfeld.

Status

Established

Sibling Labels

K Karl Lagerfeld

Other Product Lines

Eyewear, Fragrances

Collaborations

Karl Lagerfeld for H&M (Fall 2004), Karl Lagerfeld for Macy's (2011), Kapsule by Karl Lagerfeld (2008), Karl Lagerfeld for Sephora (2011)

Owned By

Tommy Hilfiger

Where To Buy

Barneys New York, Vivaldi

Related Websites

• Karl Lagerfeld (Official)
• Style.com: Karl Lagerfeld (Media)
• Wikipedia: Karl Lagerfeld (Other)
• The New York Times: Karl Lagerfeld (Media)