The Rise and Fall of Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld has long been one of the most, if not *the* most lauded designers in the industry for his chameleonic style that could revive any brand; Jean Patou, Chloe, Fendi and Chanel. But why then was his own brand such a flop? Never finding its niche or point of view, it, over the years, just lost the thos it once started with and is now one of the most confusing namesake brands out there

[understitchYT]

Next Sunday will be an hour long special called The Life and Death of Karl Lagerfeld, it's my most researched video and I'm incredibly proud of it, it's an absolute must see if youre interesting in ANYTHING about Karl. Or even if you're not its the single best video Ive ever made, you're going to love it. So if you haven't got notifications on, now is the time to click that button!

[alvaro_gl]

I would LOVE to see a video dedicated to Calvin Klein and Mugler, specially the rise of mugler

[gideonnartey_]

Where to begin...this video is so nuanced. Like when you mention and show that it was directionless...and how part of that lack of direction is from the team's inability to distinguish between Karl being chic and not being cool. That's so true. I'm working on my own fashion brand and this essay just showed how important it is to be able to properly communicate one's idea of fashion. It may exist in your head, even be in the way you live your own life but once it comes to communicating it to others then the slippery game begins. Anyways, thanks for another great video!

[kseniprokos]

Karl Lagerfeld said that Coco Chanel was a stupid for not choosing her successor to continue her legacy and in the end he did even worse, he not only didn't pick his successor but he didn't even crate a vision for his own Name brand. I think it is very ironic.
But now, knowing his personal story (thank you for that video) we can see how little he really thought about himself due to his childhood, he was raised to accommodate other and adjust to people around him so he has a clear vision for other brands but not to his own

[ladyjunon]

I hope that you do a Helmut Lang video one day.

[Mitch-Alex]

I've seen Karl Lagerfeld brand sneakers at Ross Dress For Less, so I knew that couldn't be a good sign lol

[kyleanuar]

Amazingly on every videos about Lagerfeld on the comments sections there are only praises from people who knew him personally.

[joshua]

I believe that Karl, later in life, was more focused upon scattering the brand so future visionaries could have fun and freedom creating within whatever context feeds those feelings. I believe this attitude focused upon freeing his brand from being locked into the exclusive "museums of the chic" is alluded to in the creative and commercial collaborations mentioned early in this video. Reminds me of Salvador Dali later in life, to the chagrin of his high-end collector base, flooding the market with print releases and public appearances. Thanks so much for the thoroughly informative video.⚡

[emmy]

I have a few pieces from an early version of the diffusion line (2016-2018?) and they’re fantastic. A Chanel-style jacket, ladylike tweedy texture with a bit of cool slouch, and a feminine raincoat, both beautifully made, great details (e.g. custom linings and buttons), on par with luxe store offerings. Sad that it has devolved to just t-shirts.

Admittedly, I purchased both those pieces on sale — so it could be there just wasn’t a customer base for paying full price for quality mass produced items. So it’s now either cheap tees or thousands for a jacket. Rising inequality and the shrinking middle class and all that.

[mutantsupremacies]

I know nothing of fashion but I've always had an interest. I'm here to learn and you're a great teacher!

[sectionababenathi]

Love your videos. Fun fact, Karl Lagerfeld has recently became popular here in South Africa, I first heard of this brand here when I was in one of their stores. I asked myself why such a brand like Karl's made such clothes that do not resonate with his other works (eg. Fendi).

[martijnkeisers]

I live in Amsterdam and pass by a huge mansion on one of the canal's each day wich houses i presume the head office of the Lagerfeld brand.
But always wondered if this brand is still a commercial succes.
Thnx for giving me an insight!
His early 90's collections i adored btw, especially his stiletto heels were amazing.

[methosimortal]

the online shops I generally shop at have the KL label and I have to say, they do have some very interesting, cool pieces, both for clothes as well as accessories. they're just lost in a sea of cutsie Karl mascot items. which is sooo weird because Karl never struck me as a figure made for cutsie mascots. they also have an odd price point. they use high street/Zara materials (fake leather, polyester etc.) but they're over even the general mid-range level. also, given the placement on the affordable side, their size range is pretty limited. they're sort of stuck in a weird place, in terms of the market and seem to appeal mainly to people that enjoy having labels plastered on their clothes. which, again, is the anthesis of the Karl Lagerfeld aesthetic.

[strangesenses]

To many brands have sacrificed their identity for the sake of maximising profits, the sports collections at Armani, Prada, or Karl are the equivalent of the SUV market explosion on the car industry...every car brand makes SUV now, even if it completely ruins their image...

[VioletFem]

Great video! I always wondered why this brand never quite succeeded compared to all of the other fashion ventures that Karl is known for. The Karl Lagerfeld brand never reached its potential or the original vision of Karl.

[Sweetthang]

Karl was a chameleon. He needed a strong signature to energize him. That was his particular brand of creativity and he was damn good at it. He was extremely successful. But “world’s best modern designer” is a massively dubious claim. He is absolutely one of the best, he was a great branding and marketing genius, he was a solid designer.

[rafalg]

I totally agree. I respect Lagerfeld's legacy, but when I pass through Karl Lagerfeld section in my local multibrand store I'm always so confused. When I find something I'd like to wear it features his chibi which I'm not crazy about. Instead I grab something from Ralph Lauren, Boss or Lacoste (as long as they do not feature an oversized logo). I know they're boring brands, but at least are somewhat cohesive when it comes to their design.

[miss_bougie]

Would love to see a rise and fall of Lanvin, given Sialelli’s very recent departure and talks of restructuring the brand would be great to hear your comprehensive analysis of this house.

[doloresescala]

Great video! Super interesting to see the history of it all, because ive been following the name changes through the years but never quite catch why they were changing it. Last night I was watching the Karl Lagerfeld 1996 spring show...its a fantastic 28minute show, all the supermodels were there, and the clothes are beyond!!! then I remember lagerfeld gallery in 2004...and the 2006 first show in NY. Thanks for taking us through the whole story with so many unknow details (at least for me). I would also ask, I think some other person did ask you, to do a video about the Lanvin House. Also you could include Rise and fall of models.

[joshl.]

I had walked into one of these Karl Lagerfeld stores recently, I was shocked and disgusted how ugly the things they try to sell. Totally low quality, poor taste, poorly designed. It was scary!