The iconic fashion designer who reformed the house of Chanel died yesterday, Tuesday 19 February. The design function will be taken over by his close collaborator Virginie Viard, who has worked with Lagerfeld for 30 years. Viard is the head of the creative studios, making the designer's drawings into garments.
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| Karl Lagerfeld and Virginie Viard in October 2018. Photo Bertrand Guay, AFP |
Lagerfeld started with Chanel in 1983 and his designs and personality lifted the faded fashion house back to its former glories.
He had said he wanted to leave his fortune to his beloved Burmese cat, Choupette. This is apparently not possible under French law as pets are treated as chattels and are part of the deceased's estate, inherited along with everything else as decreed by the "code Napoleon". But we imagine that a specific bequest could be made to a person or association charged with keeping the cat in luxury as long as it lived.
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| Sketch of Choupette by his owner |
