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Karl

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KARL is an intimate and visually rich portrait of one of fashion's most enigmatic and transformative figures -- Karl Lagerfeld. Spanning four decades of groundbreaking influence, the film charts Lagerfeld's rise from outsider to global icon, revealing how he revolutionized the world's most storied fashion houses -- Chanel, Fendi, and Chloé -- and redefined the role of the designer in modern culture. Told with unprecedented access to Lagerfeld's personal archives, the inner workings of the houses he led, and the voices of those closest to him, KARL unveils the complex man behind the iconic silhouette. Known for his powdered ponytail, high-collared shirts, and signature sunglasses, Lagerfeld crafted not only a brand but a myth -- one built equally on brilliance, control, and mystery. Beyond the glamour and innovation, the film explores Lagerfeld's relentless ambition, his sharp wit, his emotional solitude, and the tragic love that shaped much of his private world. Adapted from William Middleton’s definitive biography Paradise Now, KARL peels back the façade to uncover the heart, mind, and contradictions of a man who saw fashion as a battlefield -- and fought to win.

Critics Reviews

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Angie Han The Hollywood Reporter If the portrait it offers is ultimately too broad and too shallow to be definitive, it’s still an engaging look at a man whose influence will live on for decades to come. Sep 3, 2025 Full Review J. Don Birnam Next Best Picture The film may not reveal anything startlingly new about him, but perhaps that is because, in some sense, we already knew everything there was to know. He wanted to be unknowable, and even in death, he gets the final say. Rated: 7/10 Sep 3, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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Nick Hooker

Director

Anne Berest

Self

Anita Briey

Self

Marie-Louise de Clermont-Tonnerre

Self

Pat Cleveland

Self

Penélope Cruz

Self
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Karl

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Movie Info

Synopsis KARL is an intimate and visually rich portrait of one of fashion's most enigmatic and transformative figures -- Karl Lagerfeld. Spanning four decades of groundbreaking influence, the film charts Lagerfeld's rise from outsider to global icon, revealing how he revolutionized the world's most storied fashion houses -- Chanel, Fendi, and Chloé -- and redefined the role of the designer in modern culture. Told with unprecedented access to Lagerfeld's personal archives, the inner workings of the houses he led, and the voices of those closest to him, KARL unveils the complex man behind the iconic silhouette. Known for his powdered ponytail, high-collared shirts, and signature sunglasses, Lagerfeld crafted not only a brand but a myth -- one built equally on brilliance, control, and mystery. Beyond the glamour and innovation, the film explores Lagerfeld's relentless ambition, his sharp wit, his emotional solitude, and the tragic love that shaped much of his private world. Adapted from William Middleton’s definitive biography Paradise Now, KARL peels back the façade to uncover the heart, mind, and contradictions of a man who saw fashion as a battlefield -- and fought to win.
Director
Nick Hooker
Producer
Susan Hootstein, Julia Nottingham, William Middleton
Screenwriter
Nick Hooker, Anna Price, William Middleton
Genre
Biography, Documentary
Original Language
English