German haute-couture designer Karl Lagerfeld, artistic director at Chanel and an icon of the fashion industry with his extravagant outfits and striking catwalks, has died aged 85.
THE CAUSE OF DEATH IS AS YET UNKNOWN
Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg in 1933 and had served as Chanel’s creative director since 1983, injecting new life into the brand and transforming it into one of the world’s most prized couture houses.
Instantly recognisable for his white ponytail, dark suits and glasses, Lagerfeld had also been creative director of Fendi since 1977.
In 2017, he was awarded the French capital’s highest honour, the La Medaille Grand Vermeil de la Ville de Paris.
The designer was reportedly taken to the American Hospital in Paris on Monday night. The cause of death is as yet unknown.