Karl Lagerfeld

Born and raised in Germany during the advent of World War II, Karl Lagerfeld took to fashion as he marched into his 20s. In the mid-1950s, he moved to Paris and quickly made friends and started to gain a name for himself in the fashion industry, working with a variety of brands, including Valentino and Jean Patou. In 1967, the Italian luxury brand Fendi hired Lagerfeld to focus on their fur-focused line and later many facets of the company. He would remain tied to Fendi for more than 50 years. With his notoriety and legend growing, Lagerfeld was a hot ticket in the fashion industry. In the early 1980s, he was sought out by the brand Chanel, which was lagging after founder Coco Chanel's death in 1971. Almost instantly, he revived interest in the fashion line. For the next several decades, he continued to be an interesting enigma in the world of fashion, often known for his abrasive, stylish persona and shocking stunts. While he was extraordinarily successful, controversy often followed Lagerfeld, whether it was numerous fat-shaming comments about various celebrities or elements of fashion shows that many observers considered racially or religiously offensive. While he always remained tied to Fendi and Chanel, Lagerfeld often experimented with fashion lines as he always kept busy. Some of those other brands including Macy's, H&M, Chloé, and Falabella. At the age of 85, Lagerfeld died from complications of pancreatic cancer.