Karl Lagerfeld was born in 1939, the year that Coco Chanel retired. The connection between them just started for Karl Lagerfeld was destined to take over the rein of Coco's empire in 1983.

This talented man not only creates high-priced ready-to-wear with a couture look, he also makes anyone he "dresses up" and photographs a star. Such is the influence of Karl Lagerfeld in the fashion world.

Karl Lagerfeld started in couture as an assistant, and eventually as a freelance designer. In 1964, he worked as a freelance designer for Chloe until 1983.

His fashion philosophy is based on light, fluid clothes. (He eliminated linings and extra seaming, and would sometimes substitute overcasting for turned up hems to get this effect.) At that time period, he also worked with Elizabeth Arden to present his fragrance, "Chloe."

Karl Lagerfeld is also well known for his "philosophical" quotes.

Once, he said "When people ask me what I do, 'designer' seems inadequate. I tell them that I'm in the fashion business. But that is what happens with ready-to-wear. You become an enterprise." [Bernadine Morris, "A Designer Gets Ahead of Himself," The New York Times (September 21, 1976), p.42.]

Twenty years later, in an interview by Elle Magazine in 1997 for the 75th anniversary celebration of Chanel No. 5, Karl Lagerfeld was asked the question, " Was it not every man's desire in life to leave a lasting impression on the world? "

His answer was, ""May I tell you something terrible? Maybe, it was worth it to think that way in the past, but maybe today, one lacks consideration for the world if one thinks that it's important."

Nicknamed the Kaiser in the fashion world, it is easy to imagine that Karl Lagerfeld can sound very harsh to a lot of people.

Larry King of CNN, during an interview at Larry King Live asked Lagerfeld where he got that nickname. The designer answered that it is probably because he is German, and then he assured Larry King that his bark is worst than his bite.

When Larry King asked him about his perennial sunglasses, Lagerfeld answered it was because he has very light-sensitive eyes.

When asked about the fan, Lagerfeld said that it was because of cigarette smoke, but he had "lost" the fan because very few people smoke nowadays.

Ponytailed, always hiding behind his sunglasses that bears his initials, together with less his fan, Karl Lagerfeld remains one of the fashion force of this century.

Spring 2007 (Photo by Giovanni Pucci)

Menswear Fall 2006 (Photo by FW)

Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld

Fendi Womenswear by Karl Lagerfeld

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