How Karl Lagerfeld created a cult around his own image

On the occasion of the designer’s 93rd birthday

White ponytail. Dark sunglasses. High collar. Black jacket. Slim tie. Fingerless gloves. A fan in his hand. Karl Lagerfeld was recognizable from a distance. You did not even need to see his face.

Long before Instagram, TikTok and personal branding, Lagerfeld was ahead of his time. He understood the code of visual recognition and created an image of his own that became part of fashion history in its own right.

On the occasion of the designer’s 93rd birthday, we look back at his unmistakable aesthetic. During his lifetime, he led Chanel, worked with Fendi and Chloé, and founded his eponymous label. But over time, the couturier’s name became associated with far more than his collections. At a certain point, Karl Lagerfeld himself became a brand.

The White Ponytail That Became a Logo

Today, it seems as though Lagerfeld had always looked this way. But his iconic image was built gradually.

He had been wearing his white hair in a low ponytail since the 1970s. At first, it was a fairly practical solution: the designer simply wanted to keep unruly strands away from his face. Over time, however, this everyday habit became an iconic hairstyle that Lagerfeld could hardly be imagined without.

As his hair began to turn grey, Lagerfeld decided to take its whiteness to the absolute extreme. He even used white dry shampoo to style it. As a result, the ponytail became a kind of graphic signature.

It could be drawn in just a few strokes – and the whole world would immediately recognize the great couturier.

Glasses, a High Collar and Fingerless Gloves

Then came the complete image we know today.

Black sunglasses became an almost permanent part of his appearance. The high collar created a contrast with his jacket. The slim tie added a sense of severity. And the fingerless gloves became another instantly recognizable detail.

Lagerfeld did not try to reinvent himself every time. Quite the opposite – he repeated the same elements again and again. That was precisely what made them iconic.

And Then There Was the Fan

Why would a designer need to carry a fan around all the time? In Lagerfeld’s hands, it too became a defining feature of his eccentric persona.

The fan first appeared in the couturier’s image in the 1980s and gradually became one of the symbols of his personal brand. It was more than a striking accessory. The distinctive motif appeared on clothing and jewelry and even became the basis for the design of a handbag.

Chanel Gets a New Lease on Life

In 1983, Lagerfeld took over the creative direction of Chanel.

The fashion house needed to recapture the public’s attention. Lagerfeld did not simply set out to repeat what Coco Chanel had done. Instead, he took her key codes – tweed, camellias, pearls, chains and the black-and-white palette – and reinterpreted them.

As a result, Chanel reclaimed its status as an absolute leader in global fashion. Lagerfeld remained at the helm of the house for more than three decades, until his death in 2019.

There is a remarkable parallel in this story. Coco Chanel had forever written her own name into the DNA of the brand. Lagerfeld repeated that triumph by turning his own name into a cult.

KARL LAGERFELD

In 1984, Lagerfeld launched his eponymous label, KARL LAGERFELD. By then, his name was already well known in the fashion world. Now it also became the name of a fashion house.

The designer’s instantly recognizable personal style gradually became part of the brand’s DNA: a monochrome palette, sharp tailoring, sunglasses and the silhouette of the master himself.

In 2004, Lagerfeld created a collection for H&M. It was the Swedish mass-market brand’s first collaboration with a designer of his stature. The collection consisted predominantly of black and white pieces and closely echoed his own wardrobe: jackets, shirts, ties, sunglasses and fingerless gloves.

Lagerfeld had taken another step forward: he had turned his own name and style into a product that people could wear.

And, of Course, Choupette

Then a fluffy white heroine entered this black-and-white story.

Choupette became one of the most famous pets in the fashion world. The blue-eyed Birman cat lived with Lagerfeld and gradually became a media personality in her own right. She had her own photo shoots, advertising campaigns and even books.

In 2014, Choupette became a special «guest editor» of The Karl Daily – an advertising publication designed in the style of a newspaper. In this way, Lagerfeld even turned his cat into part of his own world and brand.

In 2023, four years after the designer’s death, Choupette was once again at the center of attention thanks to the Met Gala dedicated to his work. Her likeness appeared on the red carpet, while the cat herself became one of the defining symbols of the evening.

He Knew People Were Watching

Lagerfeld worked extensively on his own image. He photographed, published books, created illustrations, directed advertising campaigns and constantly experimented with his public persona.

He understood the power of an image perfectly. And perhaps that is precisely why he remains so easy to recognize.

In a world where trends change every season, Lagerfeld achieved something almost impossible: he created an image that did not need trends.

You could see him only from behind – and still know exactly who was standing in front of you.

White ponytail.
Black sunglasses. High collar.

Karl Lagerfeld.

Photo: Instagram @karllagerfeld