“Wait what?!!!!!”
“OMG is this true?”
“I’m so shocked.”
“So sad. May he RIP :(“
“Wow idk what to say”
A collective sadness and disbelief rushed over the fashion students of Paris when the news broke out that Karl Lagerfeld had passed away. The shock, we suppose, comes from the intensity in which he lived that no one could imagine the iconic man passing--almost as if we forgot that he was human.
Before students make the plight to study fashion in Paris it is a common dream to work under the guidance of Mr. Lagerfeld; if just a dream it certainly is a pull for students to make their way to the city of fashion. But even with him gone now, his legacy will thrive.
First and foremost, thank you Karl for showing us young professionals a method. This method is in itself an oxymoron, as you proved that there is no one way or right way to get where you need and want to be. Essentially your actions encompassed that of an anti-pathway to success--it is not about doing the right things, it is about doing the right things with conviction whether or not it is by the book.
Mr. Lagerfeld created a pathway that encompasses all that fashion is for those who want to work in the industry- risks, passion, and diligence. You emboldened this in all that you have done. With the first risk taking moment open for the public gaze, being your decision to leave home and launch yourself into the beast of the fashion industry. Your passion shines through all the yeses you said in life by taking on multiple projects and roles to only grow and challenge yourself and the teams you worked with. And lastly, your diligence to do what you love, and to do it always without ever accepting it as perfection--perfection being the goal.
The most pertinent example being that Karl Lagerfeld guided the influential fashion house of Chanel specifically in the direction it was meant to go, never compromising. Its historical brand image and legacy was further enriched and grew alongside the contemporary changes in fashion and the industry. This is a job well done that was recently highlighted in the Chanel Time Capsule presented in Hong Kong in 2017. Here, the house of Chanel was scrutinized from the inside out for the public to better understand the breadth of changes and conscious adaptations that it has made as times have changed, and of course under the guidance of Karl Lagerfeld’s council. In perusing through the interactive time capsule the viewer gains a deeper understanding of the historical groundings of the house’s symbols, colors, fabrics, and iconic images and how it has been developed throughout the years. By the end of the capsule, you are then confronted with a hypothetical debate between Karl Lagerfeld and Coco Chanel. This proves to be quite interesting because they are creating an allusion to who made Chanel better, if Mademoiselle Chanel would have been able to do as much as Lagerfeld had, or if Lagerfeld really did maintain and uphold the true values and brand identity of the fashion house.
Karl Lagerfeld, not limited to this highlighted piece of his life and work, was unlike anyone else, and made pivotal decisions that has shaped the fashion industry. Thank you Karl Lagerfeld, we have been moved, impressed, and inspired.
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