12 Fashion People Reflect on Karl Lagerfeld's Legacy

Today, fashion lost one of the greats. The designer Karl Lagerfeld passed away at the age of 85. He leaves behind an unrivaled legacy as one of the most prolific designers of our time. For decades, he served as creative director at luxury brands Chanel, Fendi, and his eponymous line; Fendi notes in their statement that his tenure there was "the longest relationship in the fashion world between a designer and a fashion house."

Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1933. At age 22, he took a role as an assistant to Pierre Balmain, beginning a storied, six-decade-long career in fashion. He worked tirelessly until the very end of his life, WWD reports, “giving instructions to his teams for the Fendi fall ready-to-wear collection, due to take place in Milan on Thursday.”

With unparalleled creativity and boundless vision, Karl Lagerfeld made a lasting impact on fashion. He was well-known for producing theatrical shows at Paris Fashion Week, including a supermarket shopping spree, a carnival, a protest, and even a man-made beach — all while finding endless ways to reimagine the Chanel suit or the Fendi Zucca print, which he conceived himself. Even his personal image was meticulously crafted. His black sunglasses, sharply-tailored separates, silver ponytail, and fingerless gloves are as iconic as his designs.

He was also adept at discovering and nurturing new talent. It was quite an honor to be named a Chanel muse, and Karl crowned several, including Kaia Gerber, Lily Rose-Depp, Kristen Stewart, Cara Delevingne, and Willow Smith, who appeared on our May 2016 cover wearing a look by the fashion house.

As a public figure, Karl Lagerfeld was polarizing to say the least. His litany of snarky quotes seemed endless, some admonishing sweatpants ("a sign of defeat") and others dismissing fashion trends ("trendy is the last stage before tacky"). He held inflammatory views on everything from sexual harassment to the body positive movement. He often had rifts with other designers, once saying of Yves Saint Laurent, "He is very middle-of-the-road French-very pied-noir, very provincial." But his loved ones describe him as warm and kind. He was especially doting to his nephew and godson Hudson Kroenig, who sometimes walked beside him at runway finales, and his famously spoiled cat Choupette.

Whether you knew Karl personally or admired his work from afar, it's clear his impact will be felt for generations to come. Models like Kaia Gerber, Veronica Webb, and Kimora Lee Simmons credit Karl for mentoring them and propelling their careers into the stratosphere. Veronica says Karl "helped to make [her] the toast of Paris runways," and Kimora shares "Karl made [her] a better model, designer, creative director, and mother, and [she is] forever indebted to him, like so many." We reached out to 12 fashion people — including designers, journalists, stylists and models — to share what Karl Lagerfeld meant to them.

Prabal Gurung, Designer

“It was the 2010 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund dinner when the late Karl Lagerfeld presented me with my award. Winning this award was so surreal, and even more so to receive an award from a designer whom I've been in awe of ever since I was a kid. I'll never forget his words — both extremely encouraging and hilarious. I shall forever cherish this moment. Karl, with your words, you made this guy, a kid from Nepal, dream even bigger. Thank you. We will miss you."

Kimora Lee Simmons, Designer and Model

“Karl was the ultimate innovator. His expectation for himself was no different than what he expected from the people around him — and from the world. He expected excellence and to him, design was life. He felt a personal responsibility to create and pay homage to beauty. He inspired me with his ability to exist in so many worlds at once. He was a free agent in his life, contributing to so many houses and his own namesake label, while also being an artist and a photographer and working on so many collaborations. Creatively, he managed so many audiences and always remained true to his vision. That definitely helped to inspire the entrepreneur I became — to exist in many worlds at the same time through design, modeling, and innovation.

Karl transformed me. He made me who I am today. As a young teenager he pulled me out of a small town in the Midwest and gave me wings to fly. Every other casting agent told me I was ugly and that I didn’t have what it took to succeed in modeling. Karl saw things in a radically different way than other designers who weren’t willing to risk putting a multi-ethnic girl on the Parisian runway. That happened 30+ years ago and the need for inclusivity in fashion is still a part of the conversation today! I can remember being at 31 Rue Cambon, and Karl telling me to stand up straight and to be confident — when I had no confidence at all. He told me that I would conquer the world. Under his tutelage, I stood up straight and began giving my ideas clearly. Now that I have teenage daughters of my own, I remember to teach that confidence every single day. He taught me everything about business, beauty and fashion — how to take risks and how to command a brand. Karl made me a better model, designer, creative director, and mother and I am forever indebted to him, like so many. We’re going to feel this tremendous loss forever.”

Veronica Webb, Model

“I cannot imagine the history of modern fashion without Karl Lagerfeld. Karl was a friend and a mentor who gave me extraordinary chances from the day I met him though Andre Leon Talley, the former creative director of American Vogue. Karl photographed me for his KL campaigns and helped to make me the toast of Paris runways. There is not a person of note working today in fashion, music, or film that was not touched by his genius. He will be forever remembered as a king of couture culture who democratized fashion.”

Amanda Murray, Stylist

“I remember watching Valentino’s documentary, The Last Emperor Of Fashion. There’s a scene with Karl Lagerfield and Valentino. Karl says to him, “Don’t you ever stop designing, I won’t forgive you if you do." A week later, Valentino resigned as the Creative Director of his namesake brand. That really spoke to me about Karl and what he meant to fashion. He never stopped designing. Regardless of his age and the unpredictable and ever-changing sphere of fashion, he kept going on. That has truly inspired me to keep moving forward in this industry. He was the nucleus of luxury fashion and his presence will be deeply missed."

Adesuwa Aighewi, Model

“In this life, some of us are privileged enough to meet certain souls that change your life. To me, that was Karl Lagerfeld. I could go on and on about how he changed my life but I think he did that for a lot of people. Regardless of his work in fashion, that man was a beam of light to anyone he came across. I’ll forever be grateful to have shared space and time with him. Karl taught me to be fearless regardless of what the obstacles may be. Karl, the outlier, it was my utmost privilege to have met, worked, laughed with you. I’ll cherish it forever.”

Tyler McCall, Deputy Editor, Fashionista

"I've followed Karl Lagerfeld's career for years, and while he's certainly presented me with some problematic moments, his design abilities always left me inspired to dream. Lagerfeld, the person, was almost less important than Lagerfeld, the myth; the genius who could send us rocketing to the moon, glitter boots in tow, or emerging pearl-clad from the sea as Florence Welch sang from inside a seashell. The industry will shine just a little less brightly without him around."

Teddy Quinlivan, Model

“Karl did something that not many designers are able to do, he excited people of all backgrounds, rich and poor. He made people excited to engage with fashion, and was a household name, an icon of 20th and 21st century pop culture. He gave fashion the theatrics that it needed to keep you interested: the sets, the music, the celebrity, the models, and of course, the decadent clothes. While I was so honored to work with him and to walk his shows, he had influenced my tastes since I can first remember paying attention to fashion. His collections of the 2000s had an everlasting impact on how I saw proportion, texture, and color. He treated the body like a canvas to create a work of art and now I wake up every day and dress myself with his signature codes of elegance in mind.”

Raul Lopez, Designer

“'When I took over Chanel, everybody said to me ‘Don’t touch it. It’s dead.’ And I said to myself ‘I love that people think that. Now let’s see.' — KL

Karl has always been an idol to me, and has profoundly influenced my life in fashion. This quote burns in my mind sometimes, because it highlights the most important aspect of this life and industry — believing in yourself! When someone said no to him, he transformed it into a yes! It’s powerful to understand that even our heroes are discouraged from following their heart, and even more important to know that even under those circumstances, they thrived because they believed in their talent. Karl has left a legacy that designers today can only aspire to."

Luke Meagher, Founder, @HauteLeMode

"I have a contentious relationship with Karl Lagerfeld. Chanel Fall 2014 is the collection that cemented my love of fashion, so I have to credit Karl. But I have been a fierce critic of Karl’s recent collections, as they more or less seemed to rely on the grandeur of the Chanel sets rather than innovative design. And it’s also hard not to think about his infamous comments. Karl was a product of his time, a fantasy, a showman, and a bit outdated now. He will always be remembered, but fashion will evolve into something new and better without him."

Lindsey Wixson, Model

“I can only say feel so blessed to have been one of many of his muses. To have experienced such a remarkable presence, so kind and caring to me, to have been deemed worthy of such artistry from Chanel and their entire company, I love you Karl!”

Krystle Rodriguez, Stylist

“I think I speak for everyone when I say Karl Lagerfeld is a legend in his own right. He spoke his mind and never shied away from what he believed. He defied the rules and made fashion cool and fun. I still reference back to Chanel shows from the ’80s and early ’90s for inspiration. In my opinion, he has always been one of the most critical fashion pioneers, there will never be another one like him. I am proud to be an owner of his art.”

Lou Stoppard, Fashion Journalist and Curator

“It’s a very sad day. Karl Lagerfeld’s death represents the end of a certain era of fashion, a certain style of designer. Will we have a designer complete a decade at the helm of a house, let alone 5, 6 or 7 decades? Will there ever be that same cult of personality, that same unrelenting commitment and energy, that strictness of aesthetic across all areas of a house? And also, that same appetite for learning? That same joy in new references, new inspirations? But maybe it’s wrong to relate Lagerfeld to an era of fashion or a past type of designer, as in the end, he was totally unique. He was made for the task. The master. Undoubtedly.”

Additional Reporting by Tahirah Hairston and Alyssa Hardy

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