Today, February 19, the legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld passed away. They talked about health deterioration of him a few weeks ago, when Lagerfeld missed his show for the first time in history. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer — this became known from a source close to the designer. Lagerfeld preferred to remain silent about his struggle with a terrible disease: he was proud of his good health and a healthy life-style, because the diagnosis was a real shock.

Karl Lagerfeld began his career in Paris, where he moved from his native Hamburg after the Second World War. After completing his training in the Syndicate of High Fashion, the young designer immediately stood out: in 1954, he won a prestigious fashion competition in the category "Coat Design". It is noteworthy that Yves Saint Laurent participated in the same competition in the same year and won in the category "Dress Design". Who knows, perhaps, this event marked the beginning of a" lifelong enmity" between these iconic figures of the fashion world.

"Forgiving is too easy. I can accidentally forget, but not forgive. I prefer revenge".

Karl Lagerfeld and that coat:

The talented young man was immediately noticed by Pierre Balmain, who took Lagerfeld as an apprentice to his then famous fashion house Balmain. Outstanding abilities and incredible hard work of the young German helped him to win the fashion Olympus: during his life he worked with brands Chloé, Krizia, Charles Jourdan and Fendi, and in the mid 1970s he decided to establish a fashion house named after himself — Karl Lagerfeld.

However, the greatest success and recognition the designer has achieved as a creative director of the great fashion house Chanel. Having taken office in 1983, he did not leave it until today. So it's fair to say: all we know about Chanel is Lagerfeld.

"When I came to Chanel, it looked like a Sleeping beauty — and she was not particularly beautiful. She was snoring".

Indomitable hard work of Lagerfeld is legendary: for more than 30 years, he annually produced four collections for three different brands. In addition to creating clothes, the designer was fond of graphics and photography, read a lot and wrote books himself.

"I design like I breathe. You don't ask to breathe - it just happens".

Karl Lagerfeld went down in history as a man who gave the world a thousand and one variations of the classic tweed costume and amazing fashion shows. Only recently Chanel models walked on the improvised beach, mini-airport, scenery of ancient streets of Paris and the autumn forest, were dolls in "boxes" and learned to walk on water — a transparent podium over the well-known Trevi fountain in Rome for a long time will be remembered by the audience!

"Do what makes you happy. Forget about money or other traps, which are considered to be a success. If you are happy working in a village shop, work. Remember that you have only one life".

His muses were the most beautiful women of our time, but Carl himself preferred a company of his beloved cat named Choupette.

"Loneliness is the greatest luxury I can afford. I just need to be alone with myself, otherwise it won't be me".

Impeccable suit, gloves and tie, neat tail of gray hair and constant sunglasses — the image of Karl Lagerfeld has became legendary.

"Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life, so you bought some sweatpants".

Among colleagues and fashion publications, Lagerfeld has earned the nickname "the Chancellor" for a sharp tongue and hard, resonant statements. However, many of his quotes did not only make a designer famous, but also loved by his fans.

"I hate intellectual conversation with intellectuals because I only care about my opinion".

5 famous quotes by Karl Lagerfeld about fashion and life

• I've never condemned women who want a beautiful life. I've never understood men who complain that women only need money. Themselves look at well-groomed women in beautiful dresses who smell of pleasant perfume. They say beauty requires sacrifice. Lies! Beauty requires money.
  
• There's a price you have to pay for fame, and people who don't want to pay that price can get in trouble. I accepted the idea of celebrity because of a French expression: "You cannot have the butter and the money for the butter".
  
• Luxury bags make your life more pleasant, make you dream, give you confidence, and show your neighbors you're doing well.
  
• I remember a designer who said that intelligent women don’t wear her dresses. Obviously, she went bankrupt.
  
• Chic is a kind of mayonnaise, either it tastes, or it doesn’t.