The Fashion World Is Saying Goodbye to Karl Lagerfeld the Only Way They Know How

"It is with deep sadness that the House of CHANEL announces the passing of Karl Lagerfeld, the Creative Director for the CHANEL Fashion House since 1983.

An extraordinary creative individual, Karl Lagerfeld reinvented the brand's codes created by Gabrielle Chanel: the CHANEL jacket and suit, the little black dress, the precious tweeds, the two-tone shoes, the quilted handbags, the pearls and costume jewelry. Regarding Gabrielle Chanel, he said, "My job is not to do what she did, but what she would have done. The good thing about Chanel is it is an idea you can adapt to many things." A prolific creative mind with endless imagination, Karl Lagerfeld explored many artistic horizons, including photography and short films. The House of CHANEL benefited from his talent for all the branding campaigns related to Fashion since 1987. Finally, one cannot refer to Karl Lagerfeld without mentioning his innate sense of repartee and self-mockery.

Alain Wertheimer, CEO of CHANEL, said: "Thanks to his creative genius, generosity and exceptional intuition, Karl Lagerfeld was ahead of his time, which widely contributed to the House of CHANEL's success throughout the world. Today, not only have I lost a friend, but we have all lost an extraordinary creative mind to whom I gave carte blanche in the early 1980s to reinvent the brand." Bruno Pavlovsky, President of Fashion at CHANEL, said: "Fashion show after fashion show, collection after collection, Karl Lagerfeld left his mark on the legend of Gabrielle Chanel and the history of the House of CHANEL. He steadfastly promoted the talent and expertise of CHANEL's ateliers and Métiers d'Art, allowing this exceptional know-how to shine throughout the world. The greatest tribute we can pay today is to continue to follow the path he traced by – to quote Karl – 'continuing to embrace the present and invent the future'." Virginie Viard, Director of CHANEL's Fashion Creation Studio and Karl Lagerfeld's closest collaborator for more than 30 years, has been entrusted by Alain Wertheimer with the creative work for the collections, so that the legacy of Gabrielle Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld can live on." See the full post here.

"A heavy heart today over the loss of a true icon. Karl's creativity, energy and tireless spirit knew no bounds. It was an honor to work with him and to watch him work. I will forever cherish those memories. My thoughts are with his family, friends and our Chanel family" See the full post here.

"When I think of Karl Lagerfeld, I think of his humor. This may come as a surprise - but the man was funny. So sharp in fact, it would catch me off guard, was he kidding or not?
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I remember the year we went to the MET Gala together. 2008 — I was so nervous... one, because I was still relatively new to this scene and two ... well, my date was Mr. Lagerfeld. The theme was "Superheroes" and he had generously let me browse through Chanel's archive in Paris to choose my gown. We decided on a short sequined number with a jagged hemline: couture superhero indeed. The evening of the MET, he collected me in - a limo? Nope. A decked out Escalade? As if! Karl chose instead to be driven in .... a large black van - which nowadays, I guess is the cool thing to do, but this was mid 2000's - I smiled as we all piled in. "Much more civilized with space to move around, no?" he asked. Quite right. A disco ball hung from the vehicle ceiling. That was the other thing - through the decadence, he had a meticulous logic attributed to his German heritage, but it was also what made him so brilliant; he cut through the fluff with a razor sharp pair of scissors. And there I was, 25 years old, riding around New York City with this Genius, sparkling in a dress I'd heard Helena Christensen had worn on the runway years ago - and it was all - well, quite genius. I'm sure he knew the awkwardness I felt and he was kind. He made me laugh. I felt beyond grateful and exceptionally honored to be on his arm that evening. In fact, it didn't even feel real at the time. It felt like a dream.
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I woke to the news of his passing today and lost my breath. A gash torn open in the ballgown called Life.
In my heart, I feel this departure is exactly as he'd want in. He worked and created until the day he died. When the desire to create burns through your veins, there is no option to do anything else in life.
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Thank you, Karl. The world is a far more glittery and beautiful and magnificent place because of you. Onwards! To dress the angels and to embrace an impeccable lady named Coco. I will look up and wave to you — a fashion superhero — who once put a young uneasy girl at ease - and all so seamlessly." See the full post here.

"Such sad news. Rest In Peace Karl. Thank you for everything." See the full post here.

"@karllagerfeld ... I loved working with you. Unique, masterful, funny and generous. RIP 💖" See the full post here.

"Today we say goodbye to an icon 💔❤️ An honour to have met you and work with you. Rest peacefully @karllagerfeld 🙏🏽 forever missed" See the full post here.

"Oh Mr. Lagerfeld,
In your company-
Watching you work-
Sitting beside you-
Sharing a meal-
Being shot by you-
Being fitted-
Watching a show-
Often in awe.
Constantly dazzled
Frequently shy
Always a privilege.
There is no replacement.
Just countless memories of your extraordinary and tireless work.
They broke the mold.
Aren't we all lucky to have known and admired you so.
RIP
X,
SJ" See the full post here.

"Today, Louis Vuitton honors Karl Lagerfeld, a long-standing friend of the house. CEO Michael Burke shared: 'Karl adopted me when I was in need of a friend in Rome! We became partners in crime, and wrote history on the Great Wall of China. Aim high, shoot for the stars. You will always be our guiding light.'" See the full post here.

"You were the kindest, the most curious, the funniest person to be around. Will never forget the times we spent together and how early on, you tolerated these 2 crazy fan boys and somehow let it blossom into a real friendship. You are a legend, Karl. We will never forget you. Thank you for everything you shared with this world. - J+L" See the full post here.

"Karl Lagerfeld 🖤 You will never be forgotten . . . & forever, you'll be missed. In recent years, We have and will continue to lose so many legends . . . time goes by and inevitably we lose the ones who paved the path before us to thrive. This changes everything . . . we have to take responsibility , step in and step up . . . we have to use more compassionate resources, we have to sustain, we have to get creative - make something new while honoring the hard work done for us . . . we have to do what pioneers like Karl would want us to do - make big impacts and change the world thru fashion! #NoFur #Sustainability #LoveAllWomen #LoveAllBodies #LoveOnly" See the full post here.

"The only thing more inspiring than #karllagerfeld's prolific creative genius was his kind heart, generosity and irreverent spirit! His mark on the fashion industry will live on forever, his loss resonates deeply with all who had the privilege to work with him ❤️" See the full post here.

"One of my coolest moments of my career was shooting my 1st high fashion shoot with you as the photographer. You were involved in every part of the process. Every detail mattered. Thank you for the inspiration you've given us all. You will truly be missed. Rest In Peace Legend #KarlLagerfeld #Chanel ❤️" See the full post here.

"#karllagerfeld #choupette thank you for your genius, your beauty, your collaboration. You brought us joy. God bless.❤️🌹" See the full post here.

"Karl brought a vision of femininity to Chloé that remains ever-present in our hearts today.

We are forever grateful for his 25 years with the Maison.

From his softly feminine, slightly irreverent designs, to his strong visual instinct, he has inspired every designer at Chloé." See the full post here.

"@karllagerfeld your incredible talent and joie de vivre will be missed by all of us who love fashion and you 💔" See the full post here.

"Today the world says goodbye to a true legend. Karl, you graced this industry with so much genius and talent that will live on forever. Thank you for the incredible legacy you leave behind . . ." See the full post here.

"We would like to express our sincere and heartfelt sadness for the passing of Mr. Karl Lagerfeld. The world of fashion has lost one of its purest and most incredible talents; he will be greatly missed but his legacy will always be there to remind us what creativity means." See the full post here.

"Karl . . . I cannot tell you how much you meant to me and how much I will miss you ♥️ I will never forget your kindness towards me, your laughs, your imagination ♥️ I came to France to see you this week and introduce you to my daughter . . . I'm heartbroken I was too late ♥️ Rest In Peace, I adore you ♥️" See the full post here.

"It was shot by you How one can describe with words losing the person he looks up to and aspires the most, source of inspiration and motivation. A true legend that never played by the rules but also set most of the ones people follow today. A person that put his heart so much into his work that the world fell in love with him for generations. You have been a school for all of us, you will always be present, reminding and defining what fashion is. Has been an honor to meet you.
Au revoir à un vrai Monsieur, nous t'aimerons pour toujours." See the full post here.

"Karl . . . too many memories to write . . . , I THANK YOU , THANK YOU, THANK YOU !!! For taking the chance on 16 year old girl from South London and opening my eyes. May you Rest with Highest 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔🙏🏾@karllagerfeld @chanelofficial @fendi @chloe" See the full post here.

"You brought so much beauty, style and grace to this world. Karl, you will forever be a true legend, an icon, an inspiration. It was such a thrill and a pleasure to have met you, to have worked with you, and to have experienced the amazing times when you would photograph my girls for your beautiful campaigns. There will never be another like you, my dear friend, and you will be truly missed. 💔#KarlLagerfeld @karllagerfeld" See the full post here.

"Karl Lagerfeld continuously pushed the boundaries of our industry with his unparalleled vision and creativity, infusing the traditional with pop culture and a modern perspective. I will personally miss his generosity and the unique sense of humor he brought to our partnership. He was a genius in the purest form who will forever be remembered for his unprecedented creativity and sophistication. His legacy is timeless and will never cease to inspire today and tomorrow's generations." See the full post here.

"Karl Lagerfeld . . . The brilliance, the creative storm of a human. What sad news to wake up to today. There are no words for how this man was cherished and will be missed. What a legacy he leaves behind . . . Thank you for all you shared. 💔💔💔 #karllagerfeld #chanel #rip" See the full post here.

"RIP Karl" See the full post here.

"The loss of an icon #KarlLagerfeld." See the full post here.

"Thank you Karl. 💔 Sending love to all who are feeling this loss today. He meant so much to so many. 💔" See the full post here.

"So incredibly sad to hear this. Karl was a genius and always so kind and generous to me both personally and professionally. RIP 💔x vb" See the full post here.

"Rest in love ❤️❤️❤️🌥 #karllagerfeld #chanel" See the full post here.

"So sad to hear about King Karl- ☹️x JP #karllagerfeld." See the full post here.

"#KarlLagerfeld #RIP . My respect and condolences to the brilliant prolific master. #endofanera 💔 photo by #helmutnewton" See the full post here.

"Thank you for the limitless inspiration and glamour. You will be missed, RIP Karl ♥️." See the full post here.

"This is a truly sad day. To say I knew this gentle man that changed how we all looked at the world, is an honour. My heart goes out to his loved ones and to all that felt his delicate and spectacular touch on an industry that is so crowded with characters. He held his place high above all and his sharp wit and mind blew us all away. A true icon . . . One that will be missed for many, many years to come and will always be responsible for so much creative genius. Thank you Karl for all the beauty and for seeing the world through those iconic glasses that were truly rose-tinted with a vision that was like no other. You will be very missed . . . And always loved x." See the full post here.

"You will always be the KING to me Karl! It has been a true honor to work with you and your team the past few years- You have inspired me beyond belief! Thank you for always giving us the freedom of creative vision as well! You were a master of your craft and an utter genius! You will be missed! Thank you 💔 🕶🖤🕶🖤🕶🖤🕶🖤🕶🖤🕶🖤🕶🖤" See the full post here.

"Karl Lagerfeld 💔💔💔 Legend. Rest In Peace. Thank You for inspiring us with your extraordinary Example.🙏 #karllagerfeld #ripkarllagerfeld." See the full post here.

"I got my first #Chanel bag only in 2008 . . . here it is from that time . . .a gift from my dearest @milanvukmirovic it was a divine shade of royal purple . I don't know why I never got one before that time . . . Today this beauty comes out again. I had the pleasure of meeting KL a couple of times. I never had pictures taken as I thought it vulgar when you talk yet try and capture a moment, his sharp wit was extraordinary . . . I also remember how much he admired and studied my #sacai jacket I was wearing and said how talented Chitose the designer was. Nothing missed his extraordinary eye . . . RIP" See the full post here.

"It saddens me to hear that Karl has passed away, he will be greatly missed. He remains an icon and his contribution to fashion cannot be underestimated. I fondly remember the first meetings we had when discussing the collaboration H&M did with him in 2004: the discussions about which items should be in the collection, the fitting sessions and when he invited the H&M team to a private lunch in his town house on Rive Gauche." See the full post here.

"Evolution is the secret for the next step" - rest in peace, Karl Lagerfeld ❤." See the full post here.

"Karl, thank you for the decades of brilliance, inspiration and beauty that you brought to this world." See the full post here.

"RIP Mr. Lagerfeld 💔 Thank you for the decades of magic, fantasy & beauty." See the full post here.

"BYE DEAR KARL. WE SHALL MISS YOU. RIP

ADIOS QUERIDO KARL. TE EXTRAÑAREMOS. QEPD" See the full post here.

"Rest in peace, Karl. I remember being so scared to interview you and yet you were in fact incredibly witty and generous. Thank you for inviting me to some of the most glamorous experiences of my life, it was an honour to know you. Oh yeah and thanks for the dry shampoo tip, will always think of you as I powder my wig. ❤️" See the full post here.