Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld dead: Chanel
Superstar designer Karl Lagerfeld has died at the age of 85,
his fashion label Chanel confirmed on Tuesday.
The announcement came just weeks after the man known as the
"Kaiser" in the industry did not appear at shows during Paris Haute
Couture week for Chanel, which he had led since 1983.
Just last week, his own fashion line Karl Lagerfeld was
still announcing new design collaborations.
German-born Lagerfeld was artistic director of three
separate brands, Italy's Fendi, France's Chanel -- the world's richest label --
and his eponymous line.
With his powdered white pony tail, black sunglasses and
starched high-collared white shirts, the great friend and rival of Yves Saint
Laurent was as instantly recognizable as his celebrity clients.
News of his death is likely to create an outpouring of
emotion in the industry, and tributes began flowing in from politicians and
fans.
"Karl Lagerfeld is an immense personality, someone out
of the ordinary," French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told RTL
radio.