Karl Otto Lagerfeld was a German creative director, fashion designer, artist, photographer, and caricaturist. He was born in Hamburg in 1933 to a wealthy family. During WWII, his parents sheltered him from the Nazis in a small village.

Lagerfeld showed great interest in visual arts, and former schoolmates recalled that he was always making sketches "no matter what we were doing in class". Lagerfeld claimed to have only continued school in order to learn French so that he could move to Paris. He finished his secondary school in Paris, where he majored in drawing and history.

After living in Paris for two years, Lagerfeld won a coat design competition sponsored by the 'International Wool Secretariat'. He eventually went to Rome and was soon designing freelance for a multitude of brands, including 'Fendi' & 'Valentino'.

Lagerfeld went to Paris to work for 'Chanel' in his early-fifties where he began his own eponymous "Karl Lagerfeld" brand. The brand was established to exude, "intellectual sexiness". He was often recognized for his signature white hair, black sunglasses, fingerless gloves & high, starched, detachable collars.

In 2013, Lagerfeld fulfilled one of his boyhood ambitions by becoming a professional caricaturist. His political cartoons were regularly published in a German newspaper in Hamburg. He died in Paris in 2019. Known for his bold designs and constant reinvention, he was hailed in 'Vogue' as the "unparalleled interpreter of the mood of the moment."

More Info: en.wikipedia.org